A Symphony of Secrets
by DahliaStarr
Summary: Hidden in her sister's shadow, Skypaw feels that the knowledge of her curse is safe. But evil lurks in the heart of every cat and when she is suddenly thrown into the middle of the mysterious murders, the young WindClan apprentice will ultimately realize that there is not a single cat she can trust...including herself.
1. Prologue

**YAY I'M BACK! …even though I was gone only a day…O.O Anyway, thanks to all of you who read and reviewed **_**Echoes of a Whisper **_**and here's the next story that I promised you. Hope you like it. **

**Disclaimer: Iay oday otnay wnoay Arriorsway, utbay Iay oday peaksay Igpay Atinlay. Oink :3 **

A skinny cat was settled with its tail over its paws and was looking down at a shimmering pool that was just a few lengths away. The light of the crescent moon turned the cat's pale brown fur to a glimmering silver and reflected the starlight the coated its pelt. An image in the small puddle held its attention and the cat was focused in deep concentration as it stared with narrowed blue eyes at the surface of the water.

"Morningsong?"

The cat blinked and lifted her head to look at the pretty cream she-cat that was padding towards her. "Greetings Rosefire."

Rosefire dipped her head and her yellow eyes were confused as she glanced around the empty clearing and at the little pool before turning her attention to Morningsong. "You haven't visited me in a while," she meowed, sitting down a tail-length away from the StarClan cat.

"I have had no need to visit you," Morningsong replied smoothly, looking intently at the she-cat. "How is WindClan doing?"

Rosefire gave her chest fur a couple of thoughtful licks. "We've been better," she admitted softly. "Tensions have been high between all the Clans because of the recent drought but that's nothing new." She remembered how the Elders back in WindClan kept talking about how if it didn't rain soon, there was sure to be a huge fire.

Morningsong nodded. "Yes, I've talked with the other Medicine Cats here in StarClan and they say they've never seen anything like it. I mean, for it not to rain for four moons…"

"But can't you do something?" the younger cat pleaded with wide eyes.

Morningsong snorted. "We can't control the weather, Rosefire. You know that even that is beyond the power of StarClan."

"You're right," Rosefire sighed wearily. "I just hope it rains soon before the whole river dries up and there's no water left for any Clan. WindClan is already starting to ration it but I don't know how much longer it can go on."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Rosefire tilted her head and motioned to the still pool in front of them. "So what does that do?" she asked curiously.

Morningsong glanced at the puddle as if she'd completely forgotten that it was there. "That," she answered, looking at the younger cat. "That is the reason why I brought you here."

The dark creamy she-cat leaned over it and narrowed her eyes when all she saw was her reflection. "Well what does it do?" she demanded, annoyed when all it continued to do was show her what she looked like.

Morningsong brushed against her as she too bent forward so that her own reflection joined Rosefire's. "What do you want it to do?" she meowed calmly.

Rosefire blinked, looking very confused. "What do you mean 'what do I want it to do'?"

Morningsong fondly flicked the she-cat's ear with her pale brown tail. "This pool can show you whatever you want it to show you, all you have to do is think about what that exactly is."

Rosefire glanced at her skeptically. "Really?"

"No, I'm lying Rosefire," the StarClan cat snapped impatiently. "I swear, you've gotten a lot less trusting since I left you to be the full Medicine Cat of WindClan." When Rosefire opened her mouth to retort, she continued on swiftly, "I'm telling you the truth, whether you believe me or not. Now we must hurry because we don't have much time left!"

"Okay, okay," Rosefire muttered, returning her attention back to the pool. "So all I have to do is think about what I want?"

"Yes, but I would strongly advise that what you want right now would be to figure out why I brought you here," Morningsong told her.

Rolling her eyes, she ignored her grumpy former mentor and took a deep breath to steady herself. Feeling slightly foolish, Rosefire thought, _I want to know why in StarClan Morningsong brought me here and what she wants to show me. _

Slowly, the surface of the water started shimmering and moving and she could only stare in amazed awe as the once still pool transformed into a shining image. Gone was the puddle of clear water because in its place lay a scene that made Rosefire feel bewildered and more confused than ever. She looked up at Morningsong who was staring at her with a serious expression. "I…I don't understand," the young she-cat meowed softly.

Morningsong looked down at the image that seemed as if it was giving off its own source of bright light. "This is something much worse and more serious than a drought, Rosefire."

"What are you talking about?"

"Darkness is coming," the StarClan answered ominously. "And this is the only hope for WindClan." She pointed with her tail to the image that was now slowly starting to fade.

Rosefire shook her head in disbelief. "What darkness are you talking about, Morningsong? If it's not the drought then what is it?"

"_A storm cloud is forming on the horizon and only the last remnant of the sun can extinguish it forever. But beware, because water might soon wash away the only hope that is left._"

Rosefire stared at Morningsong who seemed to be somewhere distant as she finished talking and the last of the image completely disappeared. After a tense silence, the older cat suddenly shook herself out of her stupor and glanced at the WindClan cat.

"Heed my warning carefully, Rosefire," she warned and began to fade as her body became transparent.

"Wait!" Rosefire begged, tail lashing. "Please, I need more information!"

"I have given you all I can," Morningsong replied, her voice soft as she almost completely disappeared. "Sleep now, Rosefire."

"But-"

"Sleep…" came the last soothing reply and slowly, against her will, Rosefire felt her eyelids begin to drop. _No, I have so many questions! _she thought helplessly as her vision became dark around the edges and the ground dropped from under her paws. She struggled to stay in the clearing by the pool but it was no use.

Finally, Rosefire realized that there was nothing she could do except close her eyes and let the blackness of a dreamless sleep envelope her in its clutches.

**Ta-da! Yeah, kind of shorter than usual but I really want to get on to the first chapter. ^0^ review please!**


	2. Chapter one

**Thanks to those who reviewed. Here are the comments! (It feels great to be doing this again) ^0^**

**BF5DBlover: Awww, thank you! I hope it rises to your expectations! *throws you Rosefire plushie* (since you like her so much :D)**

**Spottedfire7: Lol I hope I can write it good enough that you are satisfied. XD**

**Chibi Kitteh: Omg, thanks so much! **

**ty7769: Lol don't worry, it'll all be explained in due time.**

**Thunderous Intentions: Yeah, I spent a while to try and figure out a prophecy that wasn't completely obvious and that's the only thing I could think of. :P Thanks!**

**Rainfire7007: Thanks!**

**Silent step in Silver Snow: Nah, but she is gonna play kind of a big role in the story. ^0^ thanks for reviewing and update your story!**

**Okay, here we go!**

ALLEGIANCES

WINDCLAN

Leader: Thornstar- golden and brown tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Brackentail- pale golden tom with a striped tail and blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Rosefire-pretty pale rose colored she-cat with yellow eyes

Apprentice: Sagepaw

Warriors (toms and she-cats without kits):

Fawnwillow-light brown and white tabby she-cat with green eyes

Silverclaw-dark gray tom with blue eyes

Birdswoop-black she-cat with amber eyes

Dawnbreeze-pale brown she-cat with a white underbelly and green eyes

Hareflight- skinny dark brown tom with green eyes

Apprentice: Fallowpaw

Aspenheart-pale gray and white she-cat with blue eyes

Clovermist-white she-cat with green eyes

Ashstorm-pale black and gray tom with amber eyes

Kestrelwing- spotted pale brown and white tom with blue eyes

Apprentice: Talonpaw

Cinderfrost- silver and white she-cat with pale blue eyes

Dewfeather-silver she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice: Rainpaw

Smokefur-black tom with golden amber eyes

Lilywhisper-white she-cat with a silver tail and green eyes

Hollowstep-molted brown tom with blue eyes

Crowleaf-black tom with gray paws and leaf green eyes

Falconclaw-brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Swiftbreeze-black and white tom with green eyes

Apprentice: Skypaw

Ebonyheart-black and gold she-cat with amber eyes

Heathergaze-pale she-cat with soft amber eyes

Sundapple- white and gold she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentices (cats six moons and older, in training to become warriors):

Sagepaw- brown tom with gray splotches and amber eyes, Medicine Cat apprentice (kit of Heathergaze and Silverclaw)

Fallowpaw-silver she-cat with blue eyes (kit of Heathergaze and Silverclaw)

Talonpaw: pale brown tabby tom with white underbelly and golden amber eyes (kit of Heathergaze and Silverclaw)

Rainpaw-white she-cat with gray splotches and green eyes (kit of Sundapple and Ashstorm)

Skypaw-white she-cat with a light golden underbelly, ear, chest and very pale yellow eyes

Queens (she-cats expecting or nursing kits):

None

Elders (former warriors and queens, now retired):

Featherheart-gray she-cat with a lumpy pelt and blue eyes

Rabbitflight- white and gray tabby tom with green eyes (blind in one eye)

THUNDERCLAN

Leader: Lionstar-huge white tom with tuffs of fur around his neck

Deputy: Maplefur-orange and white she-cat

Medicine Cat: Ravenfeather-sleek black she-cat

Warriors:

Spottedcloud- white she-cat with small gray splotches

Tawnyheart-tortoiseshell she-cat

Birchclaw-tabby tom

Scorchfall-ginger tom

Apprentice: Emberpaw (gray and golden tom)

Dappleleaf-black and gray she-cat

Shrewfur-brown tom

Sparrowflight-dark gray tabby tom

Apprentice: Fernpaw (silver she-cat)

Queens:

Brindlesong-tabby she-cat, expecting Scorchfall's kits.

Elders:

Acornfur-dark brown tom

RIVERCLAN

Leader: Brightstar-yellow tabby she-cat

Deputy: Willowmist-gray and silver she-cat

Apprentice: Otterpaw (brown tabby tom)

Medicine Cat: Cloudsong-white she-cat

Apprentice: Hawkpool (brown tabby she-cat)

Warriors:

Cedarclaw-black and brown tom

Owlheart-black she-cat

Stormwhisper-dark gray and white tom

Apprentice: Minnowpaw (silver she-cat

Creeksplash-light tabby tom

Reedstream-creamy she-cat

Pebblestrike-white and cream tom

Queens:

Shellfeather- pale brown and silver she-cat, mother of Cedarclaw's kit: Boulderkit (gray tom)

Elders:

None

SHADOWCLAN:

Leader: Oakstar- pale brown tabby tom

Deputy: Duskfur-dark furred tom

Medicine Cat: Lightfur-white tom

Warriors:

Dustflower-dusty gray she-cat

Speckletail-light sandy tabby she-cat

Russetclaw-ginger tom

Shimmerbreeze-white she-cat

Foxstrike-light orange tom with four white paws

Queens:

Feathermist-gray she-cat, expecting Duskfur's kits

Elders:

Briarfall-small brown she-cat

Ferretheart-light tom

The heat from the blazing sun was almost unbearable. No breeze flowed through the gorge and the sandy ground was burning hot under her paws. The WindClan cats were usually out in the open, soaking up the bright sun contentedly and laying lazily around on the ground; but that morning was one of the times that going out of the den just seemed like a bad idea.

Skypaw shook her white fur as she stepped out of the apprentice den and glanced at the cloudless blue expanse above her, blinking her pale yellow eyes. She looked around the clearing and saw Fawnwillow and Silverclaw talking quietly with Thornstar while Brackentail, the deputy, was planning the patrols with Ebonyheart.

The long-legged apprentice quickly checked to make sure no one was at the fresh-kill pile before she made her way towards it. She knew her sister, Rainpaw, was still sleeping even though it was almost sunhigh and she hoped Dewfeather wasn't too hard on the lazy she-cat.

Skypaw bent down and pulled off the first thing she saw which happened to be a small mouse. She wrinkled her nose but there was no putting it back now because then that would mean extra time in the center of the clearing, where everyone could see her. She hurried away as inconspicuously as possible and settled down by the nursery to eat.

She took a small bite of the mouse and wanted to spit it out. Forest prey had never been her favorite but since the drought continued with no sign of letting up, the rabbits had all but vanished and WindClan was forced to hunt closer to the forest.

The white she-cat finished off the prey and checked to make sure that the familiar dull hum in her mind was there, just beyond the huge wall she constantly put up to protect it. Satisfied that it was, she then felt ready to start the day.

Skypaw spotted her sister's slender gray and white form emerge from the den, yawning. Rainpaw scanned the clearing and her green eyes found the white and golden apprentice huddled by the nursery. She started making her way forward and Skypaw braced herself for their usual argument that was sure to come.

"Hey Skypaw," Rainpaw meowed when she got within earshot.

Skypaw blinked at her sister and gave her yellow chest a few quick licks as an excuse to drop her gaze. "Hi Rainpaw," she mewed quietly. "About time you woke up."

"Ugh, it's still way too early for me," her sister huffed, sitting down heavily on her haunches. "I just hope Dewfeather doesn't make me clean the Elders' nests again because I slept in a little."

Silence settled awkwardly between them and Rainpaw glanced curiously at her. "Why do you always eat here? It's like the farthest spot from our Clanmates and there's nobody even in the nursery!"

_You just described the perfect reason, _Skypaw thought but instead of voicing it, she just shrugged. "It's kind of peaceful and I like it."

Rainpaw snorted. "What are you, a loner? Honestly Skypaw, I really wish you would hang out with me and the other apprentices more often." She flicked Skypaw's one golden ear fondly. "We don't bite you know."

Skypaw glanced swiftly at her sister and looked away, letting out a nervous purr of laughter. "As far as you know, Talonpaw could be pretty vicious," she replied, trying to get the attention away from her.

As if he'd heard her, the pale brown tabby tom in question suddenly appeared in front of them, golden amber eyes shining mischievously. "Are you two talking about me behind my back?"

Skypaw's pelt heated up with mortification but Rainpaw didn't seem to be the slightest bit ruffled. "Don't flatter yourself, Talonpaw," she huffed, rolling her eyes upward.

Talonpaw shook his pelt and turned to Skypaw. "Swiftbreeze wanted me to let you know that you're going to be on the hunting patrol with me and Kestrelwing."

Skypaw nodded, not meeting his gaze. _Please go away, please go away. _

"Well, we're leaving now so we better get going and meet up with them if we don't want to get scolded," Talonpaw meowed lightly before walking off and leaving the two of them alone. She was just about to follow when Rainpaw's tail touched her on the shoulder. She glanced back with surprised yellow eyes.

"Rainpaw, I have to go," she stated, motioning to where the three cats were waiting for her.

"Promise me you'll try and be friendlier," her sister burst out.

Skypaw blinked. "What?"

Rainpaw shrugged. "It's just Talonpaw and Fallowpaw are always trying to be nice to you and all you do is ignore them which, honestly, is pretty rude. So all I'm asking is for you to just try and be a bit friendlier, okay?"

"Okay, whatever, I'll try," she answered impatiently. "Now can I go?"

Rainpaw sighed. "Yeah, sure. I know you won't do it anyway though."

_You're right, _Skypaw thought bitterly before spinning around and padding hastily towards where the three toms were standing. Swiftbreeze's black and white tail was twitching irritably and she didn't even have to Hear him to know that her mentor was not in a good mood.

"Well finally," the warrior growled when she arrived. "It's about time."

"Oh Swiftbreeze, don't get all grumpy," Kestrelwing murmured, blinking his dark blue eyes warmly at her.

The black and white tom just grunted before saying, "Let's go." He led the way up the steep path that served as the only entrance and exit in and out of the gorge.

Skypaw was careful to stay in the middle of the small patrol so that she wasn't too far up front or behind so that she didn't draw any more attention to herself than she already had. When they reached the top, her muscles were aching only slightly and she welcomed the feeling. In the two moons that she'd become an apprentice, she had gotten much stronger.

"Where are we hunting?" Talonpaw asked as they padded across the huge empty moor. There was a bit of wind now and she was grateful for the way it sort of cooled her off.

"We'll head towards the Willow tree and see if there's anything over there first," Kestrelwing meowed to his apprentice and Swiftbreeze nodded his agreement.

Excitement coursed through Skypaw and her long limbs begged to be stretched in a good long run, even though she knew she would be really hot after. Her paws itched impatiently and it seemed to her that the three toms were walking extra slowly right then.

Swiftbreeze glanced back at her in faint amusement and he motioned to her. "You know, you _can _run if you want."

Skypaw looked at him in surprise and started to shake her head. That would cause them to watch her more closely as she ran, which meant unwanted attention. She was about to open her mouth and say no but Kestrelwing beat her to it.

"Skypaw, you've been twitching impatiently for a long time," he meowed. "Just go for it!"

Now they had her because if she said no, it would be disrespectful; but if she said okay, then that wouldn't be good. She hesitated, unsure what to do, when Talonpaw suggested teasingly, "I'll race you if you aren't scared you'll lose."

Skypaw looked at him in approval. If he ran with her, then the focus wouldn't just be all on her. "Sure, on three."

His eyes twinkling, he crouched down and said, "One."

"Two," she added, bunching her muscles.

"THREE!"

She exploded forward in a burst of energy, her paws skimming the ground underneath her as if they weren't even touching it. She always felt free when she ran, loving how the wind whipped her fur around and made her eyes water. She accidentally brushed against Talonpaw and inadvertently pushed him out of the way.

"Hey!" he shouted and he veered away.

"Sorry!" she called back, but quickly returned to focusing on the free peace that she felt just then. She crouched low to the ground and her tail streamed out behind her as the view of the lone Willow tree suddenly loomed in front of her.

A flash of dark brown caught her attention and her heart thrummed faster when she saw that it was a nice, plump rabbit that was leaping away from the cover of the tree. _This'll feed both of the Elders with some left over! _she silently crowed as she pushed herself faster to chase after it.

Skypaw's breathing became deep and her vision narrowed until soon all she saw was the hare bounding away. However, she did notice that Talonpaw had caught up to her and was chasing after the same rabbit that she was. Reality crashed down on her and she felt her paws begin to slow as she let the tom pass her.

With one more bound, Talonpaw pounced and skidded to a halt as he quickly killed the rabbit before it escaped. She scrabbled to a stop right before she rammed into him and her sides were heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

"Why did you slow down?" Talonpaw immediately questioned after a moment of letting their heart rates return to normal. "You could have had it if you hadn't let me pass you!"

Skypaw flicked her golden ear dismissively. "I didn't _let _you pass me," she snapped, even though that's exactly what she did. "I just got tired and knew I wasn't going to make it."

"What are you talking about, Skypaw? You're one of the best runners in the Clan! I know you would have caught this rabbit if you hadn't slowed down," he insisted, amber eyes disbelieving.

"Can you just let it go?" she hissed as Swiftbreeze and Kestrelwing raced up to them. "You caught the hare, isn't that enough?"

Talonpaw stared at her, eye narrowed stubbornly. "No," he meowed. "It's not."

Skypaw was opened her mouth to retort but snapped it closed when Kestrelwing exclaimed, "Wow Talonpaw, nice catch!"

Swiftbreeze turned to his apprentice, eyeing her disapprovingly. "I watched while you were running," he told her. "Why did you slow down at the end?"

Skypaw dropped her gaze and stared at her paws without answering, unable to face the disappointment in his green gaze. She shrugged guiltily, wishing that she was normal so that she could at least please her mentor on occasion. She ached to tell him the truth: That she couldn't let anyone notice her because then the humming would get too loud for her to bear, which was something she'd realized when she was just a young kit.

"Skypaw was just getting tired," Talonpaw explained, giving her a meaningful glance that she didn't see.

Swiftbreeze sighed tiredly. "Okay, Talonpaw take that back to the Clan and give it to the Elders. Skypaw, you're staying here with us until you catch something that's edible, understand?"

She nodded sullenly, already knowing that she would, yet again, try and bring back something of average size that wasn't too skinny or too plump. As Talonpaw dragged the rabbit away back to the WindClan camp, Kestrelwing began heading towards the dark trees a ways away in search of forest prey. Soon, it was only the two of them and she didn't even have to Listen in to know that Swiftbreeze was once again extremely frustrated by her obvious lack of effort.

Her mentor turned to her, green eyes blazing like the sun that hung in the sky. "Skypaw, I honestly don't know what to do with you anymore. You could have caught that rabbit if you didn't let Talonpaw pass you like that!"

"Sorry," she muttered quietly, hoping he would just drop the subject. Her excitement had long since fizzled away and now she felt weary and wanted nothing more than to burrow into her nest and escape the pounding humming that had come back.

Swiftbreeze stared hard at her for a long moment and finally just rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay, come on then," he murmured. "Let's go catch up with Kestrelwing before he gets all the fresh-kill."

The black and white tom was about to pad away but he stopped and glanced back at her with an expression she couldn't read. "You're a bit strange, Skypaw. No offensive."

The white and gold apprentice shrugged once again as he walked away, thinking that Swiftbreeze didn't know just how right he was.

**Sooo…confused yet? MWUAHAHA! Review my little readers and you'll get plushies! :3 **


	3. Chapter two

**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! And to those of you who are super confused and a bit annoyed at Skypaw's behavior, it'll all be explained in due time, I promise. Trust me, right now I'm irritated with her as well and I created her! I hope I'm not making her into a Mary Sue…If there's anything that you find wrong with my story, then tell me in a nice little critic review, please. However, sometimes the chapter has to be boring, annoying, depressing, etc. to tie in with the storyline as you all know.**

**So please hang with Skypaw for just a bit longer because soon it'll start picking up and that's when the "mystery" part of the story starts evolving. :3**

**BF5DBlover: Yea, sorry you're confused….:\ and here's a Talonpaw plushie! *throws one* and I'm thinking maybe there could be a little romance between the two, except right now, Skypaw reeeaaallly needs to keep to herself cause of her curse.**

**Spottedfire7: yep! now, what plushie would you like, dear?**

**Thunderous Intentions: D'aww thanks! Yeah, Skypaw is very, very weird for reasons you will find out soon! MWUAHAHA! –coughs- what plushie would you like?**

**Whisperbreeze: Thanks for the review, and you'll learn about her secret soon enough. Plushie you would like?**

**Chibi Kitteh: NOOO! NOT THE EVIL KITTYPET! NAAAH! *runs away* what plushie would you like?**

**CheyRaye: sorry you're so confused, but thanks for staying with it! I don't know if it'll be as good as Echoes of a Whisper or not, but I'll try. ^0^ Plushie?**

**Iceflower of ThunderClan: YAY! THANKS! **

**Silent Steps in Silver Snow: Don't worry, it'll be explained very soon. I didn't mean to make you so confused though XD Plushie?**

**Ty7769: Lol yeah, I'm gonna try and not make her a Mary Sue. I hate when writers say "And Perfectkit had all these special powers and she was immortal and excellent at hunting, fighting, healing, and everything else!" or when they make a character with so many flaws but they still end up always saving the day. Sigh…if my character(s) get to be like that, please let me know right away XD**

**Ashclaw10: Thanks so much!**

**Phew, alright. Remember, the point of last chapter and maybe this chapter is to make you confused and wondering what in StarClan her curse is. However….maybe I made you all TOO confused…sorry…:\ I haven't really gotten into the swing of this story yet and I feel a bit disconnected from it….oh well. Keep reading please!**

Skypaw cursed as she stumbled gracelessly down the entrance path into the gorge, trying to hold her paw up as best she could. It was a few sunrises after the rabbit incident and she had gone on border patrol with Swiftbreeze, Clovermist, Hareflight, and his apprentice Fallowpaw. When they were all walking along the border with RiverClan, however, she stepped hard on a big thorn and had to limp all the way back to camp.

The white and golden she-cat hopped on three legs to the Medicine Cat den which was a carved out hole inside the actual wall of stone itself. The Elders said that legend had it that _water_ created the huge den inside the wall of the gorge, which Skypaw could never quite fully believe. Because come on, water?

She ducked under the moss that hung down across the entrance and padded inside the nice, cool den. She envied how it was always just the right temperature, unlike in the other dens where the heat was almost suffocating.

Skypaw's pale eyes scanned the den, and she sighed in relief when she saw that only Sagepaw, Rosefire's apprentice, was there and that there was no hint of scent of the WindClan she-cat.

"Hi Sagepaw," she meowed, a bit stronger than usual. Sagepaw was the only cat that she felt comfortable with because he respected her aloofness and the need to be distant. But the thing she was most grateful for was that he didn't question her abrupt disappearances when she sometimes had to leave because the humming in her head got too loud.

The molted brown and gray tom glanced up from his herbs and his amber eyes lit up. "Hey Skypaw!" he exclaimed, rising to his paws. "What are you doing here? I thought you were on a border patrol."

Skypaw checked that the wall around her mind was up tight and high enough before answering. She didn't want anything worming its way into her thoughts just because she had failed to put up the strong barrier. "Well, I was on patrol but then I stepped on a thorn." She held out her forepaw so that he could see the throbbing red thorn stuck in her pad.

Sagepaw examined it with an experienced sniff before nodding and looking up at her. "I'm going to pull it out which will probably hurt for a moment and then I'll apply a pulp to it." He gently took his teeth and closed them around the thorn, pulling hard.

Skypaw winced as a stinging pain shot its way up her leg but after a few moments, the Medicine Cat apprentice had successfully taken it out and was now reaching back into the pile of herbs to retrieve a point green leaf. Her pad was bleeding slightly and she began to lick it clean as Sagepaw started chewing up the unknown leaf.

"So where's Rosefire?" she asked softly, gazing around the large den.

After a few moments, Sagepaw spat out a small wad of saliva and green pulp which he applied directly to the wound, making her paw sing yet again. "She's out collecting herbs by the RiverClan border," he meowed, glancing up at her.

Skypaw nodded, thankful that the creamy she-cat wasn't there to ignore her, as she usually did. It wasn't that she didn't like the Medicine Cat; it was the fact that Rosefire didn't seem to like her-or Rainpaw for that matter-at all.

As the small tom finished rubbing on the herb, Skypaw's mind wandered to a memory when she had been a kit and had snuck into the den to say hello to Sagepaw, who was a moon older like his other littermates. Rosefire had spotted her just as she poked her head inside and the Medicine Cat had given her a very harsh scolding that didn't seem fair.

"You need to learn to stop sticking your nose into everything, Skykit!" Rosefire had snapped, tail lashing angrily.

"But I didn't do any-"

"I have enough to worry about without you messing things up!"

The small kit had scrambled out, eyes wide with fear, and immediately went to go her mother Sundapple. But all the queen had told her was, "Go and play with Rainkit over there and stop getting under everyone's paws. Can't you just act normal for once, Skykit?"

That was one of the last times Sundapple had talked to her, and she couldn't help feeling like it was her fault. If she hadn't told the warrior about her curse, then maybe she-cat would still be the proud mother she once was.

Sundapple always tried really hard to not be paired in the same patrol as Skypaw and stayed as far away from her as she possibly could, giving most of her attention to Rainpaw. Ever since when she had told her mother about her Hearing, Sundapple acted as if they weren't related at all which made Skypaw feel even worse.

"Skypaw?"

She shook her head and blinked herself back into the present as Sagepaw said her name in a voice that made her think he'd repeated it more than once. "Sorry, what?"

Sagepaw narrowed his eyes at her. "I said that you'll need to stay off that paw for a day or two and let it heal."

Skypaw sighed softly and nodded reluctantly. "Alright Sagepaw…thanks for taking it out."

"No problem," he replied before turning back to straighten out his piles of herbs.

As she emerged from the Medicine Cat den, she looked up and allowed herself a brief moment to soak up the beauty of the sunset. The clouds were colored a very pale pink and the sun cast a soft glow of orange across the sky, illuminating the whole expanse of it. She glanced around the huge clearing and noticed that there were only a few other cats lounging around and conversing quietly.

She spotted WindClan's two Elders, Featherheart and Rabbitflight, heading slowly towards their den with the gray she-cat leading the way from the older tom. He was blind in one eye and Skypaw knew he was easily disoriented. Fawnwillow was sitting with Brackentail and Clovermist by the fresh-kill pile and even Rainpaw was talking animatedly with Fallowpaw who was back from the patrol.

Skypaw felt a sudden ache of longing fill her. She wanted nothing more than to join her sister and catch up on the recent gossip of the Clan and be a proper friend to Talonpaw and Fallowpaw. The young apprentice craved that kind of connection with other cats, needed it more than anything else, and yet she knew it could never truly happen.

Her curse made her hide a huge part of who she was, causing her to distance herself because of what would happen if she ever got close to anybody. She always tried so, so hard to not bring any attention onto herself because then that would require cats taking an interest in her, which ultimately could result in them wanting to get to know her better. And that was just completely out of the realm of possibility.

As she watched from the shadows of the setting sun, Skypaw saw Sundapple padding towards Rainpaw and had to hold back a sudden bitter envy she didn't know she was capable of. Not for the first time, she wondered why she had to be stuck with this infuriating curse and not her sister.

Because _Rainpaw _didn't have to learn how to cope with the fact that she could never have friend or a mate; _Rainpaw _didn't have to worry every moment of the day if a wall was properly set up around her mind; and _Rainpaw _never had to know the feeling of being rejected by her own mother.

_She doesn't know how lucky she is, _Skypaw thought jealously as she saw Sundapple nuzzle her sister fondly. At least her father was nice enough to her…but then again, Ashstorm didn't have any idea of what she was capable of because Sundapple had surprisingly kept her mouth shut after Skypaw had told her. This was probably just because she didn't want anyone to know how weird and different her daughter was.

Sighing tiredly, the mental aspect of her was completely drained from trying to continuously keep up the protective wall around her mind. She looked around and decided that she would probably sleep outside of the den tonight so as to create a longer distance between herself and her Clanmates so she didn't get sucked into their dreams.

Skypaw had learned the hard way that her barrier was completely nonexistent when she was asleep, leaving her much more vulnerable. But then she also figured out that the more space and distance she put between herself and the dreaming cats, the weaker the link became.

Her stomach rumbled with hunger and the prey in the fresh-kill pile looked awfully enticing. Her mouth began to water and she remembered that she hadn't eaten since when she woke up, a little after dawn.

Taking a deep breath, Skypaw began to make her way towards the pile where her Clanmates were settled around it. Normally being so close to others made her head pound from the irritable humming and she stayed well enough away. But today she felt like she deserved to be able to get fresh-kill without having to worry about any of that, so she padded towards the prey.

Clovermist was talking quietly with Fawnwillow, who looked captivated by whatever story the white warrior was telling her. Skypaw slipped around the two and saw Brackentail grooming his golden fur that shone in the last few rays of sunlight. As she leaned down to grab a dead crow from the top of the pile, the deputy glanced at her.

"Well hello, Skypaw!" he meowed, flicking his striped tail. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"Hi Brackentail," she answered, her voice muffled from the crow that was dangling from her jaws.

"Why don't you sit with us for a while?" Brackentail suggested, motioning to the other two warriors. "Whenever I see you, you're always sitting alone."

Skypaw hesitated and Fawnwillow, who was done listening to Clovermist, piped up, "Yes, Skypaw, sit with us while you eat. I've just about had enough of this one talking my ear off." The pale she-cat batted a playful paw at her friend who looked insulted.

"Well, I'm sorry my stories are so boring," Clovermist sniffed. Fawnwillow rolled her eyes, letting out a purr.

Grudgingly, the white apprentice lay down and took a bite of the black bird, savoring its juicy meat. She kept checking and rechecking to make sure her mind was protected and shifted multiple times on the hot, dry ground. She felt so out of place eating with the three older cats and she had to force herself not to go dashing away to her corner by the nursery where the insistent humming wasn't so noisy in her ears.

Brackentail sighed and stretched out on the sandy, ruining his groomed fur. "I remember when I was an apprentice," he meowed wistfully, blue eyes staring at the top of the gorge.

"You were an apprentice?" Clovermist joked, prodding him with a paw. "But you're so _old_."

"I'm only a few moons younger than him you know," Fawnwillow meowed, licking a light brown paw and glaring at the she-cat. "Does that make me old?"

Clovermist purred and bumped her playfully with her head. "Of course not Fawnwillow. Only_ toms_ grow to be Elders."

"Hey!" Brackentail meowed indignantly. "Featherheart's an Elder and she's a she-cat, so what does that prove?"

"That you're just making things up." The two she-cats shared a glanced of amusement as the deputy's fur began to ruffle at Clovermist's comment.

Skypaw watched the whole exchange in silence but had to stifle a purr at Brackentail's fake wounded look. The humming was actually not as bad as she thought it would be at the moment, probably because their attention wasn't focused on her. Once it did become centered around her though…well, she had to leave to prevent that from happening.

Taking a last bite of the crow, the long legged she-cat scraped some sand over the remains and slipped away from the three bickering cats that didn't seem to notice her absence. The sun was now completely gone and the sky turned a deep blue as dusk settled over the Clan.

Skypaw let out a huge yawn as she turned around a few times in the make-shift nest she had placed by the nursery and the feathers of the hawk that Rainpaw had stumbled across were soft against her fur. She curled up into a tight ball and placed the tip of her tail over her pink nose.

A flash of black caught her eye and she glanced up at the sky, spying a lone raven floating on the breeze near the top of the gorge walls. She sighed heavily and squeezed her yellow eyes shut.

_I wish I was a bird, _she thought sorrowfully. _At least then I could fly away and be free of trying to continuously put a wall around my mind. _

It was wishful thinking, and Skypaw knew there was no point to keep doing it. She realized that the curse was part of and it always would be and that there was nothing she could do about it except to keep moving forward.

She just wished she had even the faintest idea of what path to take…and if she would forever have to keep walking it alone.

**Sooo…yeah. Kind of a bleh chapter but don't worry, the next one is when she goes to the Gathering and you'll find out what her "curse" exactly is. But does anyone have an idea? Hmmm…? I would like to hear what you think Skypaw's big secret is. ^0^ And sorry if it's confusing…and I will try my best to not make her a Mary Sue cause I despise those…:)**

**Hate it? Love it? Just wanna send big nasty Crowstar after me? Reveiw and tell me, cause your opinion is always welcome. (:**


	4. Chapter three

**Comment time! Wow, 29 reviews for 3 chapters! That's more than the last story got in the third chapter…thanks!**

**BF5DBlover : Yeah, it will be quite stressful for her…:3 but now you'll find out what her curse is! **

**Ty7769: D'aww, thanks. What plusheh?!**

**Guest: It's a good guess and that's sorta part of it but not really. You'll find out in this chapter though! Plushie?**

**Thunderous Intentions: Yeah, Sundapple is a big mouse-brain…*shakes head* what plushie would you liiiiike?**

**Ashclaw10: XD nah, I don't think Echowing is gonna come visit her in her dreams…:D thanks for the suggestion though. Plushie?**

**SwiftStar: No, that's kind of the effect of her curse….but you'll find out soon enough. **

**Spottedfire7: here ya go!* tosses Skypaw plushie***

**Chibi Kitteh: Yes, I'm a girl XD if it wasn't obvious enough…:D :D And sure, you can have Skypaw and Echowing! *throws them***

**Whsiperbreeze: you're semi right….:3 lol here's le Skypaw *tosses one* AND UPDATE YOUR STORRRYYYYYY!**

**Iceflower of ThunderClan: Interesting guess my friend….but no, sorry. XD**

**CheyRaye: I think everyone hates Sundapple now :P**

**And to SilverStorm13 who only reviewed chapter one: I will try to make this story as good as Echoes of a Whisper, but remember this has a whole different storyline. If it's not up to your expectations by the end, I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do about that. **

**So. Many. Comments. :D but that's not a bad thing :3**

**Onto the story! *cue ominous music***

"WindClan!"

Skypaw pricked her ears and looked up at Thornstar's call, spotting the large golden and brown tom standing under the Tallstone with Brackentail by his side. She nervously to her paws and began padding towards the leader as her Clanmates began to crowd eagerly around him as well.

"I have decided that the cats going to the Gathering tonight will be Brackentail, Aspenheart, Rosefire, Sagepaw, Crowleaf, Falconclaw, Talonpaw, Skypaw, Rainpaw, Ashstorm, Lilywhisper, Rabbitflight, and Featherheart," he announced.

Skypaw's shoulders slumped when she heard her name mixed in with the others and she silently cursed her bad luck. _Great, _she thought, _Just what I need right now, to be surrounded by multiple cats at one time._

As the cats dispersed and clumped together in small groups to wait for the proper time to leave, she spotted her sister and Fallowpaw padding towards her.

"We're going to the Gathering!" Rainpaw burst out as soon as she got within earshot.

Skypaw hastily slammed up her wall before muttering, "Yeah, awesome."

Fallowpaw sighed longingly, her pretty silver pelt gleaming. "I wish I was going." The white she-cat glanced at the other apprentice enviously. _If I could trade spots with you, I would._

"I can't wait to see the other apprentices again," Rainpaw meowed excitedly. "Emberpaw and Fernpaw are always fun to hang around."

Before either of the other two could answer, Talonpaw came up to them with golden eyes bright and tail twitching impatiently. "Hey you guys."

"Hi Talonpaw," Fallowpaw meowed, turning to her brother. "So you and Sagepaw are going to the Gathering too, huh?"

The pale brown tabby purred and gave her ear a quick lick. "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get too go next time and then we'll all be stuck here in camp." He glanced at the younger apprentice and meowed, "Hi Skypaw."

Skypaw nodded vaguely in his direction, the humming in her head buzzing like a dozen bumblebees. Her eyes shifted constantly as she looked everywhere but at the three other apprentices, wishing she could just stay in the camp and let Fallowpaw go instead.

"Talonpaw told me about the hare you almost caught," Rainpaw mewed, nudging her. "Why'd you slow down just so he could have it?" A mischievous glint sparkled in her green eyes and Skypaw's ears turned a bit warm at what her sister was implying.

So she did what she did best. She shrugged.

"I think Thornstar's getting ready to leave," Fallowpaw interjected smoothly, casting a glance to Skypaw who blinked gratefully. She knew that the older apprentice sort of understood that her sister could be a bit annoying at times.

As the three cats broke away and headed towards where the rest of their Clanmates were waiting, Skypaw somehow found herself in the middle between Talonpaw and Rainpaw. The tips of his fur were touching her and she deliberately shifted closer to her sister-then she scolded herself for being so cloud-brained. _He's just like any other apprentice_, she told herself furiously. _Stop acting like a self-conscious moony she-cat! _

"Are you okay?" Talonpaw questioned, glancing warily at her as her tail lashed back and forth anxiously.

"Fine," she muttered, staring straight ahead as they reached the rest of the cats going to the Gathering. Thornstar glanced around and then nodded, flicking his tail and jumping onto the path and continuing on up the gorge.

Apprehension skittered through her limbs at the dark looming prospect of the Gathering. Unlike her fellow apprentices, Skypaw absolutely despised having to go because that was when she had to be extra careful; even if there's was only a single tiny weak crack in her wall, everything would swarm into her at once. Unfortunately, she had learned that the hard way at her first Gathering.

As the WindClan cats padded on the ancient path to the island, murmurs of whispers swept through them. Skypaw tried to ignore them but she overheard Aspenheart and Crowleaf talking about ThunderClan, and something made her ears prick.

"Lionstar better not try anything tonight," the dark furred tom growled as the cluster padded along the moor. "We have enough problems without that cloud-brain sticking his nose in everything and trying to start something."

Aspenheart nodded, her pale blue eyes narrowed up at the sky. "I pray to StarClan that this drought will end soon. The Clans are already at each other's' throats because of the water running low."

Skypaw recalled an image of the huge white ThunderClan leader with the fur like a lion's mane around his neck-his namesake-and the pale green eyes that danced and hungered for a good fight. She felt anger bubble up inside of her when she remembered that Lionstar had the fierce reputation of being savage and brutal in battle and that he rarely showed mercy. _I wouldn't want my wall to break down around him, _she thought with a shudder.

Rainpaw, who Skypaw realized was also listening in as well, piped up, "Featherheart says that even though he is vicious, he's very cunning and smart as well."

Crowleaf snorted. "That wiry old she-cat will find the good in anyone," he muttered, though she detected a hint of fondness in his voice. "And even if Lionstar is smart and clever, then that means we must be twice as wary about him."

"We most certainly cannot trust Oakstar either," Aspenheart meowed as they neared the island. "ShadowClan has always been made of sneaky little foxes."

"What about Brightstar though?" Rainpaw demanded. "_She _seems nice enough."

Skypaw tried to remember what the RiverClan leader looked like but came up blank. Loosing interest in the conversation, she slowed a bit to let the three cats get farther ahead of her and she hung towards the back of the patrol. Too late, she realized in dismay that Talonpaw had also fallen back and was walking with her.

She double checked that the barrier was strong and stared at the ground as she walked, wishing he would go away. She really didn't want him taking an interest in her because it would not end very well for either of them if they became friends.

"So…" the pale tabby began, trying to ignore the fact that awkwardness had settled between them like a thick fog. "I guess you don't like Gatherings, huh?"

Skypaw's head snapped up and her yellow eyes were wide with fear. "Why do you say that?" she snapped, trying to keep her face impassive while her heart thudded wildly. _Did he know?_ No, he couldn't have because she had always kept the secret tightly locked away and never gave any implication that she was cursed. At least…she thought she had.

Talonpaw blinked slowly, surprised at her harsh tone. "Um…because you look as if someone just told you to eat a moon old piece of prey."

She let out the breath she had been holding and felt a rush of relief at his words. So he hadn't known about her secret at all, that was good. Maybe tonight wouldn't be as terrible as she thought it would be.

After a moment of silence, he tried again. "So why don't you like Gatherings? Rainpaw seems to be pretty excited about it." He tilted his head in the direction of her slender sister who was padding ahead of them, her tail lashing as she talked enthusiastically with Aspenheart.

Skypaw shrugged, irritation sparking in her eyes. _Great StarClan, why must he be so persistent?_

Talonpaw rolled his eyes and sighed ruefully. "You're always so silent Skypaw," he muttered. "Trying to just ask you a simple question is like teaching a newborn kit to swim!"

"Then why are you even trying?" she asked dryly, feeling as if he had insulted her in some unknown way. "Obviously I'm not as talkative or fun to be around as Rainpaw." As soon as she said it, she realized that she was comparing herself to her sister-again.

As if following her thoughts, he meowed, "Why do you always compare yourself to Rainpaw? You do know that it's not good to keep putting yourself down like that, don't you?"

She glanced up at him, surprised, and found that doing so was a big mistake because now she couldn't look away. She had never noticed-never had been close enough to notice actually-that there were tiny flecks of green mixed in with the rest of his golden/amber eyes. He was staring at her intently with an expression she couldn't quite decipher.

Realizing that her mouth was hanging open slightly, Skypaw hastily snapped it shut and cleared her throat awkwardly, looking away. She felt something nudge her wall, trying to force its way in, and she knew she had to get away from this attractive tom before the whole thing collapsed along with her confused emotions.

"Um...I should…probably…catch up to...um Rainpaw," she stammered and then silently cursed herself for acting so flustered. Talonpaw had never affected her this way before so why all of sudden had she started feeling nervous around him and butterflies were bursting to life in her stomach?

She rushed away but not before catching the tom's look of disappointment and she shook her head and violently shoved her confusing emotions to the side. She would deal with sorting them out later; right now she just had to focus on surviving the night.

At long last, the WindClan cats finally arrived at the tree bridge that led to the small island. Skypaw noticed that ThunderClan was there as well and she slowed as Thornstar held up his tail for his warriors to halt. The WindClan leader dipped his head in the sign of respect.

"Greetings Lionstar," he meowed lightly as the ThunderClan warriors stopped as well.

Lionstar merely nodded at him, his dark green eyes showing no emotion except cool indifference. He tilted his head to the side and gestured to the tree. "WindClan may pass first, if you would like," he stated, his voice deep and even.

"Oh that's alright," Thornstar replied. "You may go first."

"Please, I insist," the white tom answered smoothly. Skypaw glanced at her leader and was impressed that he didn't seem as intimidated by the huge cat as she did. She remembered the tales the Elders told of Lionstar's bloodthirsty reputation and immediately blocked her mind twice as hard, just in case.

Thornstar dipped his head once more and jumped gracefully onto the tree bridge, tail waving only slightly as he began walking carefully across it. One by one, the rest of her Clanmates made it to the other side and soon it was Skypaw's turn.

She glanced at the patrol of ThunderClan cats and felt the dull humming start to grow a bit louder since there were much more cats around. She spied the orange and white pelt of Maplefur, Lionstar's deputy, who was known to be as aggressive as her leader.

"Are you going to stand there all day?"

She jumped, startled, as Lionstar's cold voice broke through her thoughts. Without thinking, she looked up and met his gaze, shivering at the blank emptiness in them. A chill crawled down her spine and she had the sudden urge to flee, and not because of the threat of her curse but because she wanted to get as far away from those creepy eyes as she could.

Leaping onto the slick bark, Skypaw waved her tail wildly for balance and dug her claw in as she hurried towards the island. One time she almost slipped and found herself staring fearfully at the churning darkness beneath her. She had always been terrified of the black water that seemed so menacing at nighttime. That fact that she couldn't swim didn't really help either.

Thankfully, though, she finally made it to the other end and slid without much grace off the trunk and followed her Clanmates through the island and towards the clearing. The volume of the humming grew increasingly louder as they emerged from the trees and Skypaw tried with all her might to focus on something, anything, to drown out the horrible buzzing in her ears.

Thornstar broke away from the WindClan group and weaved his way through the crowd of cats from all the Clans to Fourtrees, leaping lithely up the large oak that swept its branches high into the sky. Skypaw spotted the yellow tabby fur of Brightstar whose striped tail hung down as she sat elegantly on one of the thick branches.

_Where's Oakstar? _she thought, right before she spotted the pale tom hidden behind the foliage with only his blue eyes visible from behind the leaves.

"Come on Skypaw!" Rainpaw meowed, brushing past her sister as she made her way to where a group of other apprentices sat together. "Let's go say hello."

"Actually-"

"Skypaw," her sister warned sternly, narrowing her pretty green eyes. "You really need to start interacting with other cats more or else you'll grow old with no friends and you'll die alone."

The white and gold she-cat blinked, bewildered. Rainpaw had never been that blunt before and Skypaw couldn't help but feel indignant. Who was Rainpaw to judge her when her sister knew so little about her? Suddenly feeling brave, she lifted her chin and meowed, "It's my choice whether I want to sit with them, not yours."

Rainpaw rolled her eyes, fur starting to rise slightly. "I'm just trying to help you know."

"I know," Skypaw murmured, reaching over to touch her nose gently to her sister's ear. "But please don't."

Rainpaw looked at her with an unreadable expression. "Whatever," she finally hissed. "I don't know why I try and help you since you obviously want to be completely alone for the rest of your life." And with that, the light gray and white she-cat huffed, spun around, and with one last glare, stalked off to join the other apprentices.

Skypaw felt a rush of guilt, knowing that Rainpaw had only meant well and had been trying to help her. _But she didn't have to get so angry at me_, she thought in frustration. She was so confused with her sister's sudden mood swings and she had trouble keeping up with them, not knowing how much or how little it would take to make Rainpaw snap.

A loud yowl startled her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Lionstar staring down at the large group of cats below him. The murmurs and conversations died down until all was quiet and they waited for the leader to speak. Skypaw sat anxiously towards the back, hidden slightly in the shadows and tried to ignore the humming that swarmed in her head, making it pound with a vengeance.

"ThunderClan is well and thriving despite the lack of water," he reported. "Brindlesong has recently moved to the nursery expecting kits which will only make my Clan stronger." He shot an cold, amused glance at the other leaders and continued, "And if anyone wants to attack us then you better think twice because we are not weak at all."

_Is strength all he cares about?_ she wondered irritably as the large tom sat back down and motioned for one of the other three to go. Brightstar rose to her paws and gazed down at the clearing.

"RiverClan is doing well and our queen Shellfeather has given birth to Boulderkit," she paused to let the cats cheer before saying, "RiverClan is still strong and will fight with everything we have, if ever such a situation occurred. That is all." She hadn't looked at any of the other leaders while talking, but Skypaw had a feeling it was more directed towards Lionstar.

Oakstar immediately leapt to his paws and faced the ThunderClan leader, bristling. "ThunderClan is stealing our prey!" he snarled.

Yowls erupted from the ThunderClan cats and some jumped up, furious of the accusation. Skypaw winced as she felt the anger pound against her wall, screaming and desperately trying to get in.

"How dare you accuse us!" Maplefur spat from where she sat on the tree roots.

Duskfur, the ShadowClan deputy, rose to his paws and faced the she-cat, eyes narrowed threateningly. "It is not an accusation, it is the truth!" he growled, unsheathing his claws.

The white and orange warrior crouched and prepared to spring before Lionstar's clam voice stopped her. "Maplefur, sit down."

Skypaw's eyes squinted as she tried to block the fury that threatened to take over, slamming wall upon wall around her to protect her mind. But she could still feel the relentless pounding as the cats' anger tried to envelope her in its clutches.

"I do not understand where this is coming from, Oakstar," she heard Lionstar's voice from somewhere hazy and distant.

"My warriors found the remains of a sparrow on our side of the border. Not only did you hunt on our territory, but you had the nerve to eat on it too!"

"Did you ever think that maybe one of your warriors was hungry and stopped for a bit of hunting during a patrol or something?" Lionstar asked calmly.

Skypaw's breathing was hitched and she bowed her head as the force of the anger grew stronger, meaning that someone else's furious thoughts had joined the others. She spotted Rainpaw staring at her from where she sat and her sister's eyes were narrowed. She was just lucky she was partially hidden in the shadows and that it was dark enough so that Rainpaw couldn't see much.

"Stop!" Thornstar's powerful voice interrupted the confrontation between the two leaders that she had missed. "This is a Gathering, a time of peace. Look at the moon, StarClan is unhappy with us!"

A chorus of wails erupted from the cats as they looked up at the sky.

"The moon is covered all the way!"

"We need to stop fighting before StarClan gets even angrier!"

"It has never been fully covered before. What does it mean?"

"It means," Thornstar called out, "that this Gathering is over. WindClan is well and strong; now everyone return to their camps before our ancestors grow terribly angry with us." He jumped hastily off of the tree and scanned the clearing, lashing his tail. "WindClan, come!"

Skypaw struggled to her paws; her breathing was ragged, and stumbled her way half-blindly over to where her Clanmates were gathering in a small group. The pulsing fury was still there behind her walls, along with the confusion and unfairness that had swept through the ThunderClan and ShadowClan cats.

Thornstar barely glanced at his warriors before flicking his tail and leading the way through the island and back to the bridge. She lagged behind, heart thumping crazily, as she desperately tried to put distance between herself and the cats back in the clearing.

Finally, the WindClan cats reached the skinny tree and her Clanmates started to jump up and make their way cautiously over it to the other side. Skypaw heard the RiverClan cats' voices from behind her as they almost reached the tree.

After what felt like moons, the white and gold she-cat finally was able to leap up onto the wet rotten bark. She didn't understand why the anger was still as strong as before, since she had put a lot of distance between herself and the two Clans. In fact it almost felt as if it was…growing instead of dwindling.

Skypaw was towards the middle of the tree bridge when she suddenly felt it.

Something shoved hard against her many walls and she felt them start to give in, start to crack. She struggled to place more up but it was all in vain. There was aloud, terrifying groan as all of her protection suddenly crumbled down, leaving her vulnerable and exposed. She didn't even have time to brace herself before they swarmed around her.

Thoughts of countless cats rushed forward as one huge wave and slammed against her mind with more intensity than ever before. She gasped and shuddered as all the furious, rage-filled whispers poured into her pounding head.

_How dare he accuse us!_

_I wanna just claw that she-cat's eyes out…_

_I hope it doesn't come to a fight…_

_StarClan protect us!_

_I wonder if there's any fresh-kill left._

_I wish I could have clawed that ThunderClan scum's ears off._

_If he wants a fight, he can have one!_

Skypaw violently recoiled from the unseen thoughts and her vision grew blurry as the multiple voices slammed continuously against her mind. She felt panic and horror course through her and she glanced everywhere, trying to find someone to help her.

_I wonder what's got him so worked up._

_I hope I get the chance to fight him, that ShadowClan piece of fox-dung!_

She was gasping for breath and was dimly aware that she was holding up the cats crossing the bridge and they were all yelling at her to move. She was going to move but first she had…she had to…she had to close….

Her vision darkened around the edges as her mind screamed in agony from the force of the brutal thoughts. She had to find a way to stop it but right before she could place any more walls up, a single, lone thought echoed repeatedly in her head.

_**I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!**_

The raw, brutal fury of it made her reel back so quickly that she slipped and lost her footing on the slick tree. She clawed desperately and tried to hold on right before the vicious thought struck again.

_**I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! **_

She had never ever heard or felt such lethal rage before and so she had no way to block it as it bounced in her mind, buzzing like a swarm of angry bees. She thought she heard yells and shouts around her but she wasn't sure. All she was focused on was trying to not let the thought consume her completely.

_**I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE! I WILL KILL THEM ALL!**_

A bright pain exploded in her head and Skypaw's eyes rolled back as the single ferocious, bloodthirsty thought took over and sent a savage shudder through her. Her muscles cramped and contracted and she suddenly felt herself falling…falling…

With a huge force of will, she mentally grasped all of her broken walls and _shoved_.

The sudden absence of voice in her mind sent a painful ache through her and her contracted limbs gave out from underneath her. She heard the faint cries of cats as they watched her slide off of the bridge and slam into the icy water below with a large splash.

The pulsing throbbing inside of her head was the last thing she felt before she was surrounded by water and blackness took over.

***takes deep breath* Well. That was fun to write ^0^ So in case you haven't figured it out for some reason, yes Skypaw can read minds. Now, I know you're all thinking 'oh that's so cliché', but I promise you I will not make this a cliché. Just stick with this story and I swear I will make this as original as possible. (: **


	5. Chapter four

**Aww, you guys are too sweet ^0^ Thanks for reviewing everyone. Oh, and I have a question: Why oh why do I have a lot of visitors but only get a few reviews? ): I mean come on….leaving a review just to say "good job" or "it sucks" just take 5 seconds! Honestly. I mean, I'm grateful for the reviewers I have but I mean…I dunno. Whatever, onto the comments:**

**BF5DBlover: YAAAAAAAAY! Here's the next chapter! And the bad guy may or may not be Lionstar, I'm not quite sure yet…you'll just have to read!**

**Ashclaw10: I know, I like Talonpaw as well…heehee…here ya go! *tosses Talonpaw plushie to you* ^-^**

**Erin Huntress: Why thank you! :D What plushie would you like dearie? **

**SilentStepect: Love the new pen name by the way XD Lol you were close with your guess, I'll give you that. ^0^ Did I already give you a plushie? O.o I'm not sure…which one would you like? And how many times must I tell you to UPDATE?!**

**Whisperbreeze: N'aww, thanks friend ^0^ and I can't spoil it for you even though I reeeaaaally want to….:\ so just keep reading And update woman!**

**Ty7769: Thanks so much! And yeah, at least I'm not making, like, every single cat in the freaking story have a special power. That's what irks me about the warrior books cause it seems like there's always, ALWAYS a prophecy that involves some cat who will have to save the Clans and have super powers and crap…sigh….that's why I like the first and second series the best, not so much the 3****rd**** and 4****th****. And yes….Talonpaw is feeling a bit smitten with a certain she-cat. :3**

**Rainy1212: Thanks! Plushie? :3**

**iceflower of ThunderClan: Yeah….Lionstar's a mouse-brain :D**

**Thunderous intentions: Yeah, I like the idea of reading minds and yes, Talonpaw may have a bit of a soft spot for little Skypaw….^-^ here you goooooo! *throws Skypaw plushie***

**Chibi Kitteh: I know right? And you're welcome, may you cherish them forever. ^-^**

**Bluestarz Strike: Why thank you so much! And yeah, Brackentail is awesome. Here's a plushie! *throws Brackentail plushie***

**Spottedfire7: Lol I just think Skypaw fits in WindClan. (:**

**Mistyflower68: N'awww, thanks friend. :D and update Tangled in Secrets would ya?**

**mevsyousvthem9: Everyone loves Rowanstrike :3 And thanks for reviewing!**

**Alriiiiight, that's it. Onto the story (for the thousandth time)…**

_Skypaw blinked open her yellow eyes and raised her heavy head as she looked sleepily around at the area in which she lay. She slowly sat up, instinctively bracing herself and cowering behind her wall but found that there was no need. All was peaceful and she felt the familiar lightness that usually came with dreams._

I hope this is my own and I didn't get sucked into anyone else's, _she thought nervously, rising to her paws and glancing around at the treeless moor she was on. _

_"It's about time you woke up," an irritable voice sounded from behind her. _

_The long-legged apprentice whipped her head around so fast that her neck cramped and her eyes widened at the sight of two cats sitting side by side and staring at her intently. Stars shimmered on their paws and clung softly to their fur, mirroring the dancing light in their wise eyes._

_"StarClan…" she breathed in awe._

_The larger of the two tilted his furry pale black head in her direction with amusement glimmering in the depths of his dark green eyes. "Greetings Skypaw, we have been waiting for you."_

_"Could you have taken any longer?" the other, a pale brown she-cat, grumbled, fur ruffling with annoyance._

_Skypaw glanced between the two StarClan cats, fearing she had done something wrong. Why was she here? Did they know about the terrible thoughts that had Listened to right before she fell into the water? A sudden cold feeling gripped her, more frozen then ever the icy blackness she had slipped into. _

_Was she dead?_

_The pale black tabby looked sharply in the direction of his companion and lashed his tail. "Morningsong…" he warned in a quiet voice._

_Morningsong rolled her blue eyes. "What did I say wrong this time, Ravenstar?"_

_Ravenstar sighed and shook his head in exasperation before turning to a now fearfully anxious Skypaw whose heart was starting to pound harder. He stared at her for a moment before letting out a _mrr_ow of laughter. "Don't look so terrified, young one. You're not dead or anything like that."_

_A huge rush of relief overcame the white she-cat and she nodded slightly before suddenly remembering that she was speaking with her ancestors. She hastily dipped her head to the two cats and glanced swiftly from one to the other curiously. "If I'm not dead, then why am I here? And why…" she hesitated. "Why can't I…?"_

_"Why can't you Hear our thoughts?" Morningsong prompted impatiently.  
"You're in StarClan, apprentice, where every cat is equal. This means that there are no special talents or anything of that sort here, sorry to disappoint you."_

_"Disappoint met?" Skypaw echoed, with eyes stretched wide. "Are you serious? It feels so good to not constantly have to watch every single thing I do!"_

_Morningsong narrowed her eyes at the white she-cat and was quiet for a moment before she meowed softly, "StarClan gave you your power for a reason, Skypaw. I suggest that you realize soon that there is a purpose for it and to stop trying to run away from your destiny."_

_"Destiny?" A prickle of apprehension crawled down her spine at the mention of the word. "What are you talking about? Since when do I have a 'destiny'? Is that why I'm here? Is that why I can Hear other cats' thoughts? And who are you two?"_

_Ravenstar held up his striped tail to halt her rush of questions. "Slow down a bit young one," he murmured. "First of all, I am Ravenstar, leader of WindClan before Thornstar, and this is Morningsong, Rosefire's mentor. You are here because we have a warning for you-"_

_"What warning?" Skypaw demanded._

_"Maybe if you'd stop talking then you would know!" Morningsong growled, baring her teeth and lashing her tail._

_"Well I'm sorry if I seem anxious to know why in StarClan I've been burdened with this curse and why you suddenly seem to want to visit me in my dreams!" she retorted, feeling an unfamiliar burst of anger. After an awkward pause, she dropped her gaze to the ground beneath her paws and muttered, "I'm sorry."_

_"Enough of this," Ravenstar snapped and turned his attention directly onto her. "We do not have much time before you wake up so listen carefully Skypaw."_

_"But-"_

_"Listen!" he hissed, kneading the ground anxiously with pale black paws. "I know that you hate your power-" she snorted at this but he pressed on. "But trust me when I say that with your gift, you are the only hope for WindClan to survive the horrible storm that is coming soon."_

_Skypaw stared at the StarClan tom, bewildered. "The only hope for what? A storm? What are you _talking _about?"_

_Ravenstar blinked his sorrowful green eyes at her and shook his head. "I'm sorry," he mewed, all traces of the impatient cat gone. "But all I can tell you is that you need to start using your Hearing to your advantage before all hope is lost."_

_The white and gold she-cat lashed her tail in exasperation as he started to slowly grow transparent and her mind reeled with the knowledge of what he told her. "Wait!" she begged. "There's so much more I need to ask you!"_

_"Just remember what we told you, Skypaw," Morningsong whispered as she, too, started to fade._

_"But how do I know what to do?" Skypaw wailed. "What do you mean use it to my advantage?" _Please help me…_she silently cried as the dead leader disappeared and soon only Morningsong's blue eyes were all she could see._

You will know what to do when the time comes, young one. The path you walk is dark and painful. Trust your instincts and guard your heart well because there is an evil lurking in the mist of your survival.

_As the StarClan she-cat's voice echoed in her mind, Skypaw felt a wave of exhaustion crash over her and her limbs began to feel heavy as the moor around her began to fall away. She felt a soothing hum in her mind, so different from the terrible screeching one she was so used to._

_Only after her eyes completely closed did she reluctantly stop struggling and soon fell into a more peaceful sleep that didn't involve dead cats and eerie predictions._

**0o0o**

_I hope she wakes up soon…_

_That was a nasty fall she took, she should be more careful!_

_I'll need to speak with Fawnwillow about stepping up the water patrols…_

_Cloud-brained apprentices! How can they honestly not know what I mean when I say I don't have ticks?_

_Fresh-kill-_

_-I wonder if he'll notice me-_

_-We'll need more juniper berries soon…maybe I'll ask Sagepaw to collect some-_

_-WAKE UP YOU IDIOT!_

Skypaw gasped as she jolted awake and snapped open her eyes, her vision blurry for a moment before slowly clearing.

_Is she awake?_

_I need a nap-_

_-Where in StarClan is Falconclaw-?_

_-I have to tell them-_

She flinched and recoiled at the pressure of the other thoughts as they swarmed around in her mind. She scrambled to grasp her wall and she shoved it firmly into place just as more joined the others. Letting out a deep breath of relief, she raised her head and gazed around confusedly at the stone walls that surrounded her on both sides.

Recognizing the strong stench of herbs that stung her nose, she realized that she was lying in the Medicine Cat den and mortification heated up her pelt. Recalling the way she had embarrassingly fell into the water after the Gathering, she guessed some other cat would have seen her and pulled her out.

_Great…_she thought sarcastically, not even wanting to know how many cats had witnessed her reaction to the angry thoughts.

Skypaw tried to rise to her paws but froze when a cold thought struck her. Remembering the raw bloodlust she had been exposed to earlier, her legs gave out on her and she collapsed back into her nest of feathers.

The humming in her mind right then was nothing compared to what she had experienced just a little while ago, and horror bubbled up in her stomach as the rage-fill thought came back to her. An icy chill of dread crept its way over her and she shivered.

"…I've told you all I know Thornstar!"

Skypaw's gold and white ears pricked as hushed voices reached her. She held still and strained to hear what was going on.

"But what does it mean?" the deep voice, Thornstar she presumed, meowed anxiously.

A soft hiss came and then a quiet murmur, "If I knew, we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

A silence followed and she sat still as a rock, not wanting to draw their notice away from the discussion. She needed to know just what exactly they were talking about.

"She always seemed a bit strange but I would never have imagined…" this was a new voice and Skypaw struggled to figure out who it belonged to.

"Rosefire do you think anyone else knows?"

A hesitant pause and then she heard Rosefire mew, "I think Sundapple may know that something's strange about her but I can't be sure. In fact, she may not know any more than we do."

Skypaw's heat started pounding faster as a realization struck her hard. They had to be talking about her! But…why? _Do they know about the destiny that Morningsong and Ravenstar told me about?_

A low growl emitted from the unknown voice and dragged her attention back to the soft conversation. "Ever since she's had kits, Sundapple has always favored Rainpaw. Is she so blind that she can't see how much she's affecting Skypaw?"

"Brackentail!" Thornstar snapped in a quiet furious tone and Skypaw then knew who the third cat was. "Keep opinions like that to yourself until you're out of earshot."

"But Thornstar, you know it's true!" Brackentail insisted.

"It is true," Rosefire admitted, guilt tugging at her words. "I, too, have not been so kind to that apprentice because of Morningsong's prophecy."

Skypaw's thoughts were reeling and she felt as if she had heard enough. Letting out a loud groan and moving around in her nest as if she'd just woken up, she pretended as if none of their conversation had reached her.

The talking halted and there was a rustling before Rosefire slipped around the slight corner, blue eyes worried. "You're awake!" she meowed in an overly cheerful voice. Skypaw gritted her teeth but didn't show her frustration.

Forcing herself to look bleary with sleep, she murmured heavily, "What happened…?"

"Well…" Rosefire hesitated then shook her head. "I honestly don't know, Skypaw. I think only you can answer that."

"Skypaw."

The white and golden she-cat glanced up as Thornstar and Brackentail padded into the small area. Her leader's amber eyes were serious and full of apprehension as he stared at her so intently that her fur started to prickle.

"Why are you two here?" she asked, edging confusion into her soft voice.

The big brown and dark yellow tom flicked his tail. "Do you remember anything that happened on the tree bridge?" he demanded.

Skypaw's eyes widened in surprise and even Brackentail looked a bit shocked at the WindClan leader's blunt question. "I-" she began but the deputy cut her off.

"Must you honestly do this now, Thornstar?" the pale tabby hissed. "She just woke up-"

"And I need to know why she lost consciousness to begin with!" Thornstar snapped in a tone that clearly was not meant to be argued with. Brackentail got the message and he backed off, not looking very happy about it. "Now tell me, young one, what happened on that tree?"

The humming buzzed slightly louder in her mind and her tail tip twitched nervously as she tried to come up with an answer to his question. "I…I slipped," she muttered, flinching away from him and praying to StarClan that they would all go away.

Thornstar rolled his eyes as if that had been the answer he had been expecting. "Don't lie to me, Skypaw," he growled.

_Think, think, THINK! _A voice in her mind screamed. An idea struck her just then and she almost groaned out loud at the absurdity of it. She knew it was the only way to get them off of her back but her ears burned with humiliation at what she was about to do. "Okay, I didn't slip," she mewed in a small voice. "The truth is…I wanted to…get..." She swallowed hard and closed her eyes. "I wanted to get Talonpaw's…attention."

All three of the older cats stared at her, dumbfounded and looking as if that was the last thing they had expected to hear. Her pelt burst into flames and she ducked her head under her paws in the praying that the ground would open up and she could escape their curious eyes.

"You wanted to get Talonpaw's attention?" Thornstar repeated flatly, skeptical beyond belief.

"Yes," she whispered, her tiny voice muffled from her paws. She peeked up and spotted Brackentail's whiskers twitching with amusement which only made her even more mortified.

"See Thornstar?" he meowed lightly. "This little apprentice just wanted to get Talonpaw to notice her is all."

"But jumping into ice cold water?"

Brackentail shrugged and winked at her. "She-cats will do anything to get our attention."

"I don't know it still seems strange to me," Thornstar persisted even though she could tell he was wavering. She begged him to just accept her answer and leave before the buzzing grew any louder.

"While I do admit that the idea was a bit feather-brained," Rosefire mewed calmly, "you seem to have managed to meet your intention, Skypaw. Talonpaw's been worried sick about you."

_Please StarClan just take me now! _she pleaded silently. "Wait." She raised her head and gazed curiously at the creamy she-cat. "How…how long have I been unconscious?"

Rosefire shrugged and flicked an ear. "Probably about one day, maybe a little less."

Skypaw blinked. Oh.

After a beat of silence, Brackentail opened his jaws in a wide yawn and got to his paws. "Well, I think it's time to sleep if I do say so myself."

Thornstar nodded slowly and Skypaw couldn't read his expression. "Yes, I could do with a good sleep." He, too, rose and gave his chest fur a few quick licks before tilting his head in her direction. "Swiftbreeze will be expecting you tomorrow at dawn if you are able to go on patrol."

After she nodded, Thornstar turned and left the den, his tail tip disappearing around the corner. Brackentail was about to follow but he stopped and touched her shoulder teasingly with his striped tail. "You know, you didn't need to pull that crazy stunt, Skypaw," he stated delightedly. "Talonpaw has been noticing you since you were first apprenticed."

Skypaw's mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide. "W-what?" she gaped, unable to believe that the deputy of ThunderClan, this _old cat_, was commenting on her supposed attraction to Talonpaw!

Brackentail's blue eyes glimmered with laughter and his tail curled up in amusement. "Ah, young love. Don't break his heart now you." And with that he padded happily out of the den thinking that he had just given the best advice ever.

Skypaw snapped her jaw shut and sighed in displeasure. She guessed that letting them think she liked Talonpaw was better than telling them the truth.

"You should be well enough to go on the dawn patrol tomorrow," Rosefire told her as she began to follow Brackentail. "You just had a minor chill from the water but I think you're fine now."

"Okay."

The Medicine Cat hesitated, looking as if she wanted to say something else, but instead she just nodded once and padded softly away. Skypaw listened closely until she couldn't hear anymore pawsteps and only when she was sure she was alone did she let out a huge breath of relief.

_You have a destiny, Skypaw._ Ravenstar's murmur echoed in her mind and for a moment the humming faded away until all she could hear was the dead lead's soft meow. _You are the only hope left. Be brave, young one and know that we walk beside you always._

Skypaw curled up into a tight ball and shivered, settling her tail over her nose and squeezing her eyes firmly shut. It wasn't fair that she had to be burdened with this "gift", this curse. _I don't want it! _she wailed silently. _Please just let me be normal and not have the fate of WindClan on my shoulders…_

Images of Sundapple and Rainpaw blurred through her thoughts and her heart ached for her mother's love, to be her sister's equal, and knowing that it was impossible. A sudden flash of Talonpaw entered her mind and she found herself wishing he was here right then to comfort her. She needed a friend, needed companionship….and knew she could never have any of it.

_Is this what you meant by painful, Morningsong? Because I don't know how it could possibly ever get worse than this. _

**Sooo….some new characters were introduced in this little chapter :3 sorry it took me so long to write but I've been super busy :\ oh well, review my lovely piggies! **

…**don't ask.**

**Oh, and does anyone have an ****idea of who screamed WAKE UP YOU IDIOT? :)**


	6. Chapter five

**Whew, so sorry I haven't updated in so long guys! I've just had so much crap to deal with at school and this drama where my friend likes me but I don't like him and all that good stuff….ugh….well, I'll stop complaining and get right on to the comments!**

**Lover or Hater: Lol, well here's the update you've been anxiously awaiting! :D**

**Mistyflower68: Aw, thanks friend :) and yeah, in your recent chapter you might have wanted to explain the scenario with the whole message from StarClan thing a little bit better…Lol but I, too, know what it is like to be at a loss for writing so I will not judge ;) **

**Spottedfire7: good little piggy…(: lol**

**Under the Silent Moon: hmmm…maybe it 'twas, maybe it 'twasn't. Is that even a word? XD**

**ty7769: Idk what will happen with Talonpaw and Skypaw….I'm at a bit of a block and have no idea what will happen between them XD so I'm as much in the dark as you are! :D**

**Bluestarz Strike: Oh Brackentail, Brackentail….you naughty kitty XD and YOU CANNOT HAVE ALL THE PLUSHEHS! ….but you can have two :D lol**

**mevsyousvthem9: Thanks so much! And yeah, the opportunity presented itself to add some Talonpaw drama sooo…heehee….**

**Silent Steps in Silver Snow: Yeah, Talonpaw and Skypaw….I don't know where that's going at all! XD**

**Mysti Nite: of course you can have le Skypaw plushie! *throws one***

**Whisperbreeze: Thanks so much! (I won't drag out this comment cause I wanna get to the story! LOL)**

**Now, onward my piggies! *oink* Oh and by the way, this is another character building chapter where you get to know more about Rainpaw cause she plays a big part in the story :3 there might be some drama but idk….but read on!**

"Skypaw do you sent anything unusual?" Swiftbreeze asked as the patrol padded along the ThunderClan border where the tiny stream ran down the length of it.

Skypaw tasted the air and other than the disgusting musty ThunderClan smell, she scented nothing out of the ordinary. She shook her head and her mentor nodded his approval.

"Should we re-scent the border, Dewfeather?" Rainpaw questioned, looking up at her mentor.

The silver she-cat flicked her tail. "Swiftbreeze and I will do that, why don't you two run on ahead and maybe see if there's any prey out?"

"Okay!" the pale gray and white apprentice exclaimed. "Come on Skypaw." She dashed away with a burst of speed and left the white and golden she-cat standing there, blinking her yellow eyes in bewilderment.

"Rainpaw sure is eager to please you," Swiftbreeze observed and marked a section of the border. _Unlike my apprentice. _Skypaw lowered her gaze as the unfinished sentence hung between them and she sighed quietly to herself.

"She's almost too much for me to handle," Dewfeather muttered good-naturedly.

"Oh admit it; you've grown fond of her." The black and white tom butted her shoulder playfully with his head and Skypaw's eyes flickered between them, sensing that she was missing something. Not wanting to really listen anymore about how great her sister was, she trudged hurriedly away from the two warriors and followed Rainpaw.

The thoughts hummed in her mind but not as loudly as usual since she was far enough away from most of her Clanmates. However, she still kept her guard up just, not wanting to re-experience the night at the Gathering.

A quarter moon had passed since then and she had tried desperately not to think about the ominous dream from StarClan that had caused her to question…well, a lot of things. She most certainly didn't want her curse but something that Morningsong had said kept playing on a continuous loop in her mind.

_You will know what to do when the time comes, young one. The path you walk is dark and painful. Trust your instincts and guard your heart well because there is an evil lurking in the mist of your survival._

Skypaw shivered even though the heat from the blazing sun was almost unbearable. She glanced up towards the blue expanse above her and prayed that rain would find them soon before the river completely dried up. Brackentail had told Thornstar and the Clan that he had heard that RiverClan and ThunderClan were at each other's throats more than ever since there was such a small amount of water.

At the thought of water, the aching parched feeling in her throat burned more insistently; an unfair reminder that she had started rationing her water to give to Featherheart and Rabbitflight instead.

Skypaw padded up a slight slope and slowed when she spied Rainpaw creeping up on a hare that was nibbling on a few random weeds. She watched as her sister placed one paw delicately in front of the other and silently prepared to pounce. Suddenly, though, the direction of the wind abruptly changed and the rabbit lifted its head, spotted Rainpaw with wide eyes, and took off running.

She expected Rainpaw to go chasing after it to try and catch it but to her confusion, the dappled she-cat just huffed in annoyance and rose from her crouch without even bothering to half-heartedly run after it.

"Why didn't you chase it?" Skypaw meowed, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Rainpaw shrugged and daintily licked a paw. "I didn't feel like it."

She blinked, shocked. "But that was valuable food for the Clan!" she protested. If it was anyone other than Rainpaw, Skypaw would have stayed silent but this was her sister and she felt a bit bolder around her.

Rainpaw rolled her green eyes. "Well then why didn't _you _chase after it, Skypaw?" she snapped irritably. "Look, it's way too hot to be out walking around doing border patrol, much less chasing after a skinny hare that would've maybe fed one cat."

Skypaw opened her mouth to retort but caught herself just in time and closed her jaws before she could say anything. Struggling with her exasperation towards her slightly shallow sister, she gritted her teeth and instead just settled for a sigh.

"Are you going to tell Dewfeather I didn't try to catch it?" Rainpaw suddenly asked, swinging her head around and narrowing her glittering eyes. "Because if you do then she's going to make me clean out the Elders' den for probably a moon!"

"No, I wasn't going to say anything," Skypaw answered, flabbergasted at her sudden mood shift. "Relax."

Rainpaw scowled at her for a moment longer before nodding tersely once and then bouncing on her paws like a kit. "Oh, I wonder what Talonpaw and Fallowpaw are doing…" And just like that, she was back to her easily excitable self, leaving the white and golden apprentice more confused than ever.

She shrugged and sat down. "Probably out hunting or training."

"He's really handsome, don't you think?" Rainpaw mewed wistfully.

Skypaw glanced at her sister. "Who?" She asked, even though she very well knew just who Rainpaw was talking about.

"Talonpaw of course!"

She shrugged again and stayed silent, not knowing where the gray and white apprentice was going with this. "He's just like any other tomcat," she grumbled uncomfortably. "Nothing special."

Rainpaw looked at her mischievously, her eyes twinkling. "Well _I _think he's something special and I think he feels the same way about me, actually."

Skypaw stared at her sister and felt a sudden prickle of jealousy-but for of what? The idea that Talonpaw liked Rainpaw? She shook her head to clear the ridiculous thought, knowing it was so cloud-brained to even _assume._

As if sensing her thoughts, Rainpaw blinked at her. "Wait, you're not…jealous are you?" she meowed, surprised, with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"No!" she snapped hotly, feeling her ears start to burn. "_No_ I am not jealous," she repeated more forcefully.

"Good because no offense or anything but I think he likes me that way more than you."

Skypaw blinked at her tone, amazed and insulted at the same time.

Rainpaw widened her eyes and reached out to touch her lightly with her tail. "Don't take it too hard, Skypaw. It's just everyone thinks you're so strange-even more than usual since the Gathering."

The white and golden apprentice felt a spark of something light up inside of her and her yellow eyes narrowed slightly at her sister. The humming in her head buzzed furiously but this time it was more of her own thoughts than anyone else's. _Even my own sister doesn't think of me as her equal! _she thought, furious and sorrowful.

"Skypaw?" Rainpaw mewed and her voice sounded distant. "Wait, where are you going?"

Skypaw hadn't even been aware that she had backed far away from the dappled she-cat until her back paws touched the cool water of the small stream. She shook her head hard and felt despair well up inside of her chest. _They'll always think of me as below them and not worthy! _a tiny voice screamed bitterly.

"Skypaw, seriously, I didn't really mean to make you that upset," Rainpaw told her, taking a step towards her.

She stared at Rainpaw and her heart broke at the realization that even her own _littermate_ saw her as weird and stupid. _She's just like Sundapple and the rest of them! They all just think I'm a daft and helpless cat!_

"Skypaw?"

Skypaw recoiled and violently shook her head. "Stay away from me."

Annoyance now took hold of Rainpaw's voice and her green eyes sparked irritably. "Honestly, you're getting so worked up over nothing! Great StarClan, I'm just stating the truth that everybody knows. Even Sundapple says so."

That was all she could take. "Shut up, Rainpaw!" Skypaw spat, hurt filling her. "Just stop!" She cast one last pain filled at her sister before she spun around and dashed away.

"Skypaw, wait! I didn't mean it!" Rainpaw's voice grew fainter as she urged her paws faster, her vision growing blurry.

Her legs stretched wide as she raced over the ground and she felt grim satisfaction at her burning muscles as she practically flew across the moor. Blood roared in her ears and her breathing came in gasps as her chest constricted. _No one will ever understand! _she wailed silently. _I didn't _ask_ to be able to Hear their thoughts. I don't want this, I never wanted it. So what if I have a destiny? Don't I have a choice whether or not to fulfill it?_

Finally, her aching limbs could take no more and she skidded to a clumsy stop, sides heaving with ragged breaths. The humming in her head was very faint and the buzzing had all but vanished since she was far away from her Clanmates. She swung her head around, eyes searching, and realized she was by the huge, lone willow tree. Its long, sweeping branches tilted towards the ground and pale moss draped amongst the leaves, creating a sorrowful and lonely feeling.

Skypaw padded softly forward, her breathing returning to normal, and craned her neck to stare up at it. The trunk was ragged and old with age and the roots were thick under her paws. The leaves swayed in the soft breeze that ruffled her white fur and the setting sun cast a soft glow over the whole scene.

_StarClan left you all alone as well, _Skypaw thought sadly, even though she knew it was cloud-brained comparing herself to a tree.

_You have a destiny Skypaw._

She snapped her head around, eyes wide and heart beating harder, as Ravenstar's deep voice resonated in her ears. She looked around but of course there was no one there. She shook her head and scolded herself for being so foolish. She shoved his words away, determined to just forget everything he and Morningsong had told her about her curse and her being the only hope to save the Clan.

She glanced up at the dimming sky and let out a snort from the sheer irony of the whole situation. The probability of a storm coming was slim at best and now she needed to protect her Clanmates from the much needed rain? How in StarClan did _that_ work?

Shaking her head, Skypaw glanced one last time up at the willow tree before she turned and began to make her way back to the gorge. The silence of the moor calmed her bundle of unsorted emotions and the humming in her mind was quiet as she made slow progress back to the camp. Her thoughts flowed with the sharp breeze and for the first time since the Gathering, she allowed herself to recall the horrible anger that had broken through her wall.

She winced as she remembered the way the indescribable fury had taken hold of her muscles and emotions. What she didn't understand was how the cat's thoughts had completely obliterated her boundaries, especially as many as she had put up for protection.

_How could someone be so angry? _she wondered anxiously. Even though the anger had left her as quickly as it had come, it had left something behind that she hadn't known before.

Fear.

Fear that she wasn't protecting herself as cautiously as she should be. Fear that if it happened once…it could most definitely happen again. She didn't understand who could have been so vindictive, so vengeful, to contain all the fury. She wished she knew who the thought had come from-and also, who the thought was aimed at.

Skypaw stopped dead in her tracks, her blood growing cold, as she realized that whoever the words, the fury, the thought had belonged to, were aimed at not just one cat but all of them.

_**I WILL HAVE ME REVENGE! I WILL KILL THEM ALL!**_

The white and golden apprentice gasped at the understanding that suddenly dawned on her. How could she have missed it before? How could she have been so oblivious to the obvious threat that was in those rage-filled words?

The thinker, the beholder, of the thoughts was prepared-was actually _planning_-to kill more than one cat at the prospect of gaining revenger on something unknown.

And she, Skypaw, was the only one who could Hear the evil voice because she was the only one with the curse. She was the only one who knew.

However, no one could have prepared her-or any of them for that matter-for just exactly how deep the darkness was that awaited them in the mist.

Not even StarClan themselves could have predicted the horrors that were about to come.

**So…a bit of a cliffy but don't worry because next chapter is when the actual drama and mystery begins to heat up. And does anyone like Rainpaw? I don't…but this was just a little preview about her and she'll be appearing a lot in this story so you better get used to her...um…mood swings. XD Sorry if this was a bit shorter than usual but this was the most i could do without giving anything major away :D**

**Like it? Hate? Just wanna strangle Sundapple and Rainpaw? (I DO!) Well tell me in a review you lovely piggies you! **

**Oink. :3 **


	7. Chapter six

**So so so so so so so so so so SO sorry it's taken me this long to update. My excuses: School, lack of inspiration, and being grounded from the computer for a week. :\ But here's the next chapter and so very sorry for the long wait!**

**Lover or Hater: Lol everyone now hates Rainpaw XD and yes, you are VERY violent today…lol**

**Wingbreeze: Thanks so much for reading Echoes of a Whisper and then checking this one out! Which plushie would you like? :3**

**Ty779: Yeah…Skypaw needs a friend but idk what' s going to happen with them…well, I kinda do but I'm not going to tell you. Mwuahahahahahahaaa –coughs-**

**Guest: This little piggy went to the market…this little piggy stayed home…this little piggy didn't review…so the crazy author declared war on it and sent Crowstar after it! (: Lol Just kidding :D**

**Ashclaw10: Thanks that was the point lol**

**Whisperbreeze: Here's the next chapter already! ^0^ and update your story! When are they going on the journey? And the story needs more Fawnpaw…lol**

**mevsyousvthem9: lad I could inspire you! And here's a real Rainpaw plushie lol *throws one***

**Stranger of the Night: Thanks for reviewing and yes, in this chapter there might be a hint of who said all that stuff about revenge :)**

**EchobreezeGuest: Omg thank you so much! I'm so glad that you loved Echoes of a Whisper and that you're giving this story a chance. And of course you can have little Talonpaw! *throws le plushie***

**Mysti Nite: Yeah, a lot of people hate Rainpaw right about now…*sheepish smile* lol and you're welcome!**

**Dewleaf31: Maybe…maybe not….Lol and thanks!**

**Echowind012: So sorry! I've been so busy and uninspired…:\**

**Swiftstar1: I know….*shakes head sadly***

**Okay, now prepare for a quick spaz moment. *takes deep breath* HOLYCRAP75REVIEWSFOR6CHAPTER OMGI'VENEVERGOTTENSOMANYFORSOLITT LECHAPTERSOHMIGODTHANKYOUALL OFYOUFORMAKINGMEFEELSOSPECIA L!**

**-ahem- amazingly, my spell check didn't underline that as a misspelled word. O.O interesting….oh, and this chapter is going to be from no one's POV really just to switch it up a bit ;) **

**Here we go!**

**Oh, and today's my b-day! I'm so happy.**

_In StarClan_

A heavy silence hung over a wide clearing where dozens of cats were huddled together, spines ridged and eyes unblinking. At first glance they appeared as one huge clump but at a closer look, one would be able to distinguish how they were separated into four tight groups and how the ones on the outskirts were careful not to shift too much so as not to cross the boundaries of another. A swift breeze flowed over them and tugged eagerly at the cats' fur, swirling it around, but no one seemed to take notice. All were focused on four shadowed figures that stood on top of a large boulder.

"Cats of StarClan," a deep voice resonated from one of the larger cats that sat atop the rock. "I realize that you are all probably wondering why we have called you together."

"Why are we here Quailstar?" called a black and gray pelted tom from the front of one of the groups. "We have never been gathered like this before."

The original speaker, Quailstar, flicked an ear and gazed down at the dead ThunderClan warrior with steady amber eyes. "I understand that, Runningdusk, and if you would please allow us to explain-"

"Us?" One of the other three that were on the stone, a sleek black she-cat, rose to her paws and her blue eyes were narrowed into slits. "This is of no concern to RiverClan, Quailstar, as you very well know. My Clan has nothing to do with the prophecy!"

"Hollystar just listen for a moment-"

"Do not try and calm me with useless words!" Hollystar hissed, lashing her tail angrily. "The prophecy that the Medicine Cats received never once mentions my Clan or my cats. I do not see the point of dragging us into a mess that is only between WindClan and ThunderClan!"

"Hollystar!" a new voice growled and an ashy gray-black tom stepped into the moonlight, his fur rising with irritation. "You know as everyone else does that what affects one Clan will ultimately affect every other one."

"She has a point though." This came from a dark brown and black tabby who was sitting calmly with his tail curled neatly over his paws.

Quailstar let out a soft hiss of exasperation and spun around to face the stocky leader. "She is wrong, Spiderstar! Even if this is between just ThunderClan and WindClan, ShadowClan and RiverClan will also be torn apart!"

"How so?" Hollystar protested, ears flat against her skull.

"This is ridiculous!" the ThunderClan leader groaned. "Everyone knows that there can be no more or no less than four Clans in the forest. If my Clan and Ravenstar's Clan go to war with each other than there might be a possibility that there will only be RiverClan and ShadowClan left."

"That doesn't sound too bad to me," Spiderstar murmured condescendingly. "And equal share for Brightstar and Oakstar to split."

Ravenstar whipped his head around and glared at the ShadowClan leader, his eyes filled with green fire. "I'd like to see your warriors hunt rabbits on the moor," he snarled, upper lip curling in disdain. "They probably couldn't catch one if it ran right under their noses!"

"Well WindClan doesn't seem to be doing very good with that so far, Ravenstar," the tabby tom meowed tauntingly. "When's the last time one of your warriors caught a rabbit?"

"At least we don't have webbed paws like frogs!" a WindClan she-cat yowled. She was answered with jeers from her Clanmates and the ShadowClan cats rounded on her, fangs bared aggressively and backs arched.

"I've had enough of this absurdity!" Hollystar spat, black fur fluffed up so that she looked almost twice her size. "This is your battle and RiverClan will not be involved."

"Nor will ShadowClan," Spiderstar agreed, tail twitching slowly back and forth as his unsheathed ivory claws gleamed in the moonlight.

"But this is StarClan!" a new voice called, pleadingly. Heads from every cat turned to figure out who it had come from and a pretty white tabby she-cat stepped forward from where she had been sitting with three other cats a bit away from the stone. "There are no borders dividing us here!"

"Frostwing's right," one of the other cats, a dark ginger tom, meowed and slowly rose to his paws. His amber eyes were wide as he scanned the clearing, not appearing the slightest bit ruffled from the glares he was getting from some of the cats. "What has become of us if we are still four individual Clans here in StarClan?"

"Flamewhisker, you do not know what you're talking about," Spiderstar warned in a low voice.

Frostwing bared her teeth up at the dark brown and black furred tom. "You dare insult your Medicine Cat, Spiderstar?"

Spiderstar snorted and scowled down at the dead ThunderClan she-cat. "You are all Medicine Cats and you do not understand the ways of warriors. You have nothing to do with this prophecy."

"Oh really?" a very pale brown she-cat snarled, leaping to her paws and fur bristling. "I am the one that delivered this prophecy to Rosefire and you have the nerve to say that this does not involve us? Since when did you have the right to decide who gets a say in this?"

"Morningsong-" Ravenstar began but she pressed forward, her voice rising with each word.

"WindClan is on the verge of disaster and you two don't even care? Since when did you assume that RiverClan and ShadowClan are the only ones that matter anymore? This is utterly ridiculous!"

Spiderstar swiped his long claws against the boulder, causing a sharp sound to be heard, and looked as if he was on the verge of losing his temper. "Hold your tongue you stupid cat! Do not act as if you know what my motives are."

"Then what _is _your reason for abandoning WindClan in our time of need?" a dark blue-gray she-cat yowled, leaping to her paws along with her other Clanmates that were gathered around her.

"My reasons, Breezestone," Spiderstar answered, barely even sparing the dead warrior a glance, "are not of any concern to you."

"You fox-hearted coward!" Runningdusk spat, yellow eyes filled with hatred that was aimed directly at the ShadowClan leader. "The only reason you ever do anything is when it's in your best interest and benefits you and your Clan!"

The dark furred tom neither admitted nor denied this but several of the ShadowClan cats down below howled in shock at the accusation that the ThunderClan tom had hurled at the leader. Tension crackled in the air as almost every temper was pushed over the edge and it seemed as if too many cats were dying for the chance to lash their claws against their enemies' faces.

"I do not have to stand here and be convicted of being cold hearted and selfish," Hollystar snarled, her sleek muscles rippling under her fur as she crouched and prepared to leap off of the rock.

"But we're your Medicine Cats!" wailed Frostwing, exasperation making her voice shrill. Her white tabby coat shone under the weak moonlight and her green eyes blazed with the reflected starlight that glimmered across her paws. "You have always listened to us before so what makes it so different now?"

Hollystar whipped her around and her eyes narrowed into dangerous slits as she glared at the she-cat. "_Silverpool _is my Medicine Cat and if I'm hearing correctly, she's not speaking up and protesting as you three are. Do you want to know why? Because she knows her place and she knows when to show her leader some respect."

Flamewhisker rounded on the pretty silver tabby she-cat that sat with her shoulders slightly hunched and her gaze focused solely on the ground beneath her paws. "Are you just going to let her believe that you approve of what she's saying?" he whispered, gently but with a pleading not in it.

Silence draped over all of the many cats and the only sound that could be heard was the steady breathing of every single one as they awaited the RiverClan she-cat's answer.

Finally, Silverpool lifted her blue eyes and rasped in a broken voice, "I don't know."

"_What_?" this came from an abundance of ThunderClan and WindClan cats including Quailstar and Morningsong but it was Ravenstar whose voice rose up from the rest.

"Do you even know what you are saying?" the pale black WindClan leader screeched, all of his calm and collected composure disappearing in a flash. "What you're telling me, what you are telling all of us, is that you do not care what happens to all of the innocent cats in my Clan?"

"I-I'm sorry-"

"Don't apologize to me," Ravenstar spat, his voice dripping with venom even though his green eyes were wide with his growing fear. "Do not act as if you feel guilty about what you just implied, Silverpool. You would rather have WindClan and ThunderClan destroy each other rather than speak against your leader, is that right?"

"This is not RiverClan's problem!" the Medicine Cat shouted, now rising slowly to her paws. Her silver fur bristled and her tail lashed in frustration. "Ravenstar, you are so blinded by what you think might happen even though we hardly even know what the outcome is going to be that you can't see the reason in this. We do not know for certain what will happen to WindClan or even if this prophecy is going to come true or not. The drought that every Clan is in is worse enough without dragging in a prophecy that we know nothing about!"

"But the fact that something horrible could happen is reason enough to worry, Silverpool," Quailstar interjected before Ravenstar could explode again. He had composed himself and now his amber eyes were cool and blank, hiding his emotions and thoughts from everyone else. "You know as well as I do that if there is even a slim chance of something terrible happening that we should prepare for the worst."

"We don't even know what this 'threat' is," Spiderstar drawled, licking a large brown paw calmly and scowling over at the two leaders. "It could be anything for all we know."

"That is exactly why we need to talk about this and decide our plan of action," Flamewhisker meowed, glancing up at the ShadowClan leader who shot him a cold stare.

"There is no plan of action," Hollystar mewed wearily, casting her gaze around to take in every single face that was turned up to her. "You three do what you want but RiverClan will not be a part of this. I refuse to make my warriors a part of something we know nothing about." When Ravenstar opened his mouth to speak, she shook her head and stated flatly, "I'm sorry that we cannot help you, Ravenstar. But StarClan or not, the four Clans will always be divided by borders even if they are invisible and we must carry on as we did when we were all alive. Each leader worries about his or her problems, and only theirs, no one else's."

"Please, Hollystar, just hear me out-"

"I'm sorry," she told him in a deadpan voice. "But there is nothing I can do to help you." And with that she leaped off the boulder and, just as if she was at a normal Gathering at Fourtrees, she flicked her black tail and the RiverClan cats slowly followed her out of the clearing.

Frostwing turned to Silverpool and her eyes were as wide as an owl's. "You know this isn't right," she begged one last time. "We're Medicine Cats and the Clan rivalries have never mattered before. You know this is wrong."

"Save your breath Frostwing," Morningsong muttered, sending a dark look in the RiverClan she-cat's direction. "She's made up her mind and nothing we do or say is going to change that."

Silverpool blinked sorrowfully but her eyes were determined and the other three knew there was no use pleading anymore. She had made up her mind and nothing they could say would change it. "I wish things were different," she breathed softly. "And I hope after all this is over, we can be reunited as fellow Medicine Cats."

"You have betrayed our trust," the pale brown WindClan she-cat shot back. "You will never have my respect ever again."

Frostwing stepped back to let Silverpool pass and the silver she-cat dipped her head before padding away and disappearing into the shadowed trees that surrounded the clearing. Flamewhisker pressed comfortingly against Morningsong who sagged against him, suddenly looking a lot older than she was.

Spiderstar slowly rose to his paws and assessed the cats that were left down below. His green eyes were cool and indifferent as he turned to Ravenstar and Quailstar. "So sorry ShadowClan can't be of assistance," he meowed innocently, tilting his head to the side.

Ravenstar let out a low growl but the ThunderClan leader swiped his tail in front of his so that the tom wouldn't leap forward and claw Spiderstar's eyes out. "You will pay for this," the ashy black tom spat.

Spiderstar let out a soft _mrr_ow of laughter and shook his head mockingly. "Oh no, Ravenstar, it is you that will pay. How could you possibly align yourself and your Clan with a cat who appointed a bloodthirsty deputy to become leader? Yes indeed, I think WindClan and ThunderClan will fall only because of Quailstar's foolish choice, not a prophecy."

"Take that back you mangy fox-heart!" Runningdusk yowled from where he stood, eyes flashing as his Clanmates echoed him. Quailstar merely blinked calmly at the ShadowClan leader and didn't reply.

With a self-conceited sniff, Spiderstar leaped gracefully off of the boulder and gathered his warriors with a flick of his tail. "Flamewhisker!" he shouted as he began to lead his Clan out of the clearing.

"We'll meet up later, I promise," the dark orange tom whispered hastily. He dashed after his leader, leaving Morningsong and Frostwing alone.

After an awkward moment of heavy silence, Quailstar cleared his throat and cast a sheepish glance at Ravenstar. "Well. That went well."

The WindClan leader sighed and his shoulders slumped as if he had the weight of a huge rock to carry across them. His green eyes were dull and he looked pitiful and broken, more like an elder than a leader. "Morningsong," he rasped, lifting his head to gaze down at his Medicine Cat. "Please tell me there is a way to stop this from happening."

Morningsong closed her eyes and was still for a long moment while every cat stared at her, anxiously waiting for her answer. Finally, she took a deep breath and opened her clear blue eyes, lifting them to look at the WindClan tom with a steady and determined gaze. "There might be a way to save the Clans, Ravenstar."

"Really?" he asked, eyes growing wide and back straightening with this newfound hope. "What do we have to do? What's our plan of action? When should we start?"

Morningsong shook her head gravely and stopped his flow of words. "I'm afraid this is not in the paws of StarClan. It is beyond our control. We can visit the cats and train them but the paths they choose are their own and we cannot make that decision for them."

Ravenstar let out a sharp breath and his tail slowly started to lash back and forth. "You don't mean…?"

The old she-cat nodded solemnly. "It is a last resort but if there is any hope at all for ThunderClan and WindClan then it lies within that cat."

"But the prophecy-"

"She is part of the prophecy, Ravenstar. This is her destiny!"

"But it's so risky," Frostwing murmured hesitantly, glancing from the leader to her friend and back. "She is so young and so many things can go wrong. Is this truly the right time to force this upon her?"

"You watched her at the Gathering, Frostwing," Morningsong mewed to the white she-cat. "You saw how she is losing control over her ability more and more each day. Now is as good a time as any."

"How can we know if she'll be strong enough?" Breezestone called out.

"Right now," Ravenstar answered grimly. "She is our only hope."

"No pressure," Runningdusk muttered under his breath.

A moment passed before the WindClan leader rose to his paws and scanned the clearing. "Here is what we'll do: Morningsong, you visit whoever needs to be informed of this and you and I will help to train her so that she is strong enough when the time comes."

Morningsong nodded curtly in agreement.

"Now we must return to our territories, Quailstar. At least now we have a plan of action," he added softly as the cats filed out of the clearing.

"Until next time, Ravenstar," Quailstar replied, dipped his head respectfully, and followed his Clan out of the clearing.

Soon, the WindClan cats also started to disperse, pleased for the time being with the prospect of hope, slim as it may be. Morningsong lagged behind to wait as Ravenstar slid clumsily off of the boulder and landed with a thump. He righted himself and padded forward to where the brown she-cat stood, looking lost in thought. His tail dragged on the dusty ground, creating a thin line in its wake.

Without a word, Ravenstar slunk past the Medicine Cat and was about to vanish into the tall oaks when she meowed quietly, "What if this fails?"

Startled, he glanced back over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Morningsong looked at him intensely with scared blue eyes and he realized that, no matter how confident she portrayed herself to be, the old she-cat was just as worried as he was. "What if she is unable to gain control over it?" she repeated. "What happens then?"

Ravenstar raised his muzzle to the night sky where the moon was slowly sinking below the horizon and closed his eyes as the faint, waxy light turned his fur to dark silver. His heart was pounding steadily in his chest, a harsh reminder that he was already in StarClan and that there would be no wishes to their ancestors tonight because there was no one left to pray to. _What will become of us if we fail? _he thought sorrowfully.

"Ravenstar?"

The proud WindClan leader blinked open his green eyes, straightened his shoulders, and raised his chin in a last defiance to the invisible enemy. "We will not fail, Morningsong, because if we do then the Clans will fall and we will be nothing more than a memory. Our survival and the survival of every other cat, depends on her and we must teach her all we know."

"But what if-?"

"No," he whispered raggedly, shaking his head, and he began to head for the trees again. However, just before he disappeared entirely, he added, almost as an afterthought, "We must hope. Because if we don't, then we have already lost."

Then, the shadows enveloped him and Morningsong was once more alone in the clearing with only Ravenstar's ominous words to show that he was ever there at all.

**Sooo…a little different than the usual chapters. But I was literally blocked on what to right for Skypaw so I just thought of this. Sorry if it's not as good as the other chapters but next she'll learn about the prophecy and how there's more to her curse than what meets the eye….*ominous music***

**Lol Review, even if you hated it! ^0^**


	8. Chapter seven

**Hey look, another chapter! I think I'm finally getting my writing mojo back so that's good news :) Anyway, onto the comments! (Thank you all for reviewing!)**

**Lover or Hater: Here's the next chapter so you do not die of boredom! Trust me, I know how that feels XD Hope you're knee feels better! *sends healing vibes***

**SwiftStar1: Here's the next one and it's from Skypaw's POV, just like you wanted.**

**mevsyousvthem9: GAH! Such a long review! XP But thank you so much for your birthday wishes and compliments. Just for that, you get another plushie of annnnnnyyyyyyy cat you want. ;)**

**Stranger of the Night: Yeah, no one seems to like Silverpool…but then again you have to see it from her perspective: there's an unknown threat that could potentially destroy ThunderClan and WindClan and she just wants to save her own Clanmates. But yeah, I can see where you're coming from :P**

**Spottedfire7: Thank you so much!**

**Silentbreeze20: Here's the next update!**

**Ty7769: Thanks, I was really just blocked with what to write for Skypaw, but I'm glad it worked!**

**Echowind012: Awwwww, you don't know how much that means to me :3**

**And HOLY BAJESUS! 86 reviews?! You. Guys. Are. Amazing. **

**Here we gooooooo! (By the way, we're back to Skypaw's POV :])**

**Oh, I also switched what Fallowpaw looks like. She used to be a silver she-cat but now she is a creamy brown she-cat with tabby patches and soft blue eyes. :)**

Sheathed paws lashed across her white fur and she ducked to avoid being clotted on the head. Rolling onto her side, Skypaw quickly swiped at her opponent's legs before she hastily rose to her paws and stumbled back to regain her balance. She crouched and narrowed her eyes as her tail lashed slowly back and forth, preparing to spring. The humming buzzed insanely in her head and she struggled to focus on the present as Fallowpaw rushed at her.

She tried to dodge out of the way but the creamy brown apprentice tackled her to the ground before she could move out of the way. Skypaw let out a loud squeak as she hit the sandy ground and tried to wriggle free, but to no avail.

"Do you surrender?" Fallowpaw crowed, amusement glittering in her blue eyes.

Spitting on a mouthful of dirt, Skypaw muttered, "Yeah, I give up."

"Great work, Fallowpaw," Hareflight praised his apprentice as she clambered off of the white and golden she-cat.

Skypaw rose to her paws and shook out her fur to rid it of the dust that had accumulated on it, eyes lowered to the ground as usual. She knew she had disappointed Swiftbreeze yet again and didn't want to see his impassive eyes.

"Good effort," her mentor grunted grudgingly. "But we need to work on your speed some more, you were too slow and that's why Fallowpaw was able to beat you."

"I've also had more practice than you," the older she-cat meowed kindly. "So it's understandable if you lose at times."

Skypaw simply nodded, still not raising her yellow eyes from the ground, and she prayed that they would move on and quit talking to her. She was grateful that Fallowpaw was being nice to her but she had already dragged enough attention onto herself and she didn't need pity to top it off.

"Alright," Hareflight stated after a slightly awkward moment. "I think it's time to head back to camp."

"You go on, Hareflight, I would like to speak to my apprentice real quick," Swiftbreeze answered.

Caught off guard, Skypaw's eyes shot up to the black and white tom who was looking at her steadily with unreadable green eyes. Her heart started to pound faster as Hareflight nodded and he and Fallowpaw began to pad back to camp, leaving them alone. The sun was at its peak and the heat rising from the ground in waves made her feel hot and sticky all over.

"Skypaw."

Returning her eyes to her paws, she checked to make sure her walls were set up nice and tight before answering. "Yes, Swiftbreeze?"

She heard a heavy sigh escape him and, not for the first time, she wished she could be the eager apprentice that her mentor wanted. The bees buzzed inside her head and she had to force herself to concentrate as the humming grew louder. The moments stretched out into a long silence and finally, when the thoughts became too much for her to bear, she snapped, "Well what is it?"

Swiftbreeze's eyes widened in surprise and she immediately cursed herself for losing control over her temper. "Excuse me?" he asked quietly, tail flickering back and forth.

Skypaw swallowed hard and shuffled her paws uncomfortably. She had only made the situation worse because now her mentor would keep her around longer to question. She knew she had to do something, fast, before her head exploded with pain. "I…um…"

"Skypaw, I've noticed that you seem really distracted lately and it's messing up your training and hunting," he accused, his voice even and steady.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, flinching as one certain thought pounded against her wall. "I promise I'll try to do better."

"But the thing is this has been going on ever since you were first made an apprentice!" Swiftbreeze growled, starting to pace across the sandy ground. The sun illuminated the depths of his green eyes which held both impatience and curiosity. "What is continuously bothering you so much that you can't even do a simple hunting technique without spacing out?"

This wasn't good. He had her backed into a corner and she knew she had to give him a legitimate answer if he was going to stop being suspicious of her. _Think, Skypaw, think!_ "I-I um…I…"

Swiftbreeze halted in his pacing and turned his muzzle towards her, looking lost and very irritated. "I'm trying to understand, Skypaw," he told her, voice rising with each word. "I've tried to not pressure you too much with a new technique in case that was it, or I asked Sundapple and Ashstorm if something was bothering you, but you won't open up to me! How am I supposed to teach you how to survive on the moors if I don't even know if you're ever fully listening to me?"

Sorrow pierced Skypaw's heart at the pleading note in the tom's voice along with a new wave of guilt. _I wish I could tell you Swiftbreeze, _she wailed silently, once again feeling the familiar isolation her curse brought. _But you would never understand._

The thoughts were no longer rising, but the level they stayed at was strong enough to make her head scream. She hated battle training because the spot where they practiced was so close to the WindClan camp that the humming was always as intense as it was as if she was inside the apprentice den. Usually she could handle it and try to ignore the buzzing, but today they seemed a lot more violent than every other time. She had to get away, had to find a quiet place to compose herself and get her strength back, had to-

"Skypaw!"

The white and gold apprentice startled as Swiftbreeze shouted her name and she accidentally lifted her gaze to see him look extremely aggravated.

"This is exactly what I was talking about," the black and white tom snapped, sheathing and unsheathing his claws as he kneaded the dry ground. "I have a conversation with you and suddenly it's like you're not even here anymore. It's like you're in your own world and you're not even pretending to listen to what I have to say."

"I'm sorry," she murmured quietly.

Swiftbreeze lashed his tail and his eyes narrowed. "Sorry? That's all you have to have to say?"

She hung her head and dropped her gaze back down to her paws so she didn't have to look at his disappointment. What else could she say? That she could Hear the thoughts of dozens of other cats and that she had to always protect her mind or else they would overpower her and she would lose control of everything?

"You know," he suddenly meowed, his voice soft and hurt. "I can't tell if you're doing this to make fun of me or not. For almost three moons I've wondered about what to do with you, struggled to get you to concentrate on your goals, and yet…" his voice trailed off and he shook his head sullenly, as if to rid himself of an unwanted thought.

This was it. This was her chance to throw caution to the wind and finally tell her mentor everything that she'd been holding in. Her chest was almost bursting with the need to spill it all to him; the longing to share this with someone else was almost too much to hold back. Skypaw opened her mouth to let the words flow out, to tell Swiftbreeze everything, when out of nowhere the humming grew double in noise level and knocked the breath right out of her.

She gasped and mentally pushed against her wall to keep it stable as a sudden of unwanted thoughts pounded against it, screaming for entrance. The white and golden she-cat stumbled back, struggling to keep calm. She knew she needed to get away from anything that could possibly have caused this, and fast.

"Skypaw?" Swiftbreeze's voice was distant over the thumping of her racing heart.

"I-I-" Skypaw stammered as another wave crashed into her. It was almost as terrible as at the Gathering and instinct screamed at her to flee before it got to the point where the thoughts broke down her protection. "I h-have to g-go-"

"Go?" the tom echoed, baffled and stupefied. "What's wrong? Do you need Rosefire to look at you?"

"N-need…go…." Her muscles were trembling with tension and she gritted her teeth in a massive effort to keep her boundaries from being breached. She started to walk backwards away from Swiftbreeze, who, though he looked very concerned, didn't try to follow her.

Finally sensing her chance, the young apprentice spun around and raced away from the training ground as fast as her long legs could possibly take her. She ran away from the WindClan camp and towards the sprawling, empty moors that made up the majority of her Clan's territory. They seemed as if they could go on forever because they lay in the opposite direction of the other Clans' territories, dotted only with a few shrubs and weeds.

As she put distance between herself and the camp, the thoughts slowly dimmed to a very faint hum and the sudden loss of pressure on her mind made her feel lightheaded. Her breathing was ragged and the breeze made her eyes water to the point where her vision was getting blurry. She was running too fast and her front paw landed wrong, causing her to let out a screech as she tumbled to the ground in a mound of fur.

Skypaw sneezed as the sand settled around her nose and she shook her head to rid it of the dizzy feeling she had. She blinked up at the sky and her eyes narrowed into slits to block out the bright sun's piercing rays as she slowly rose to her paws. She kept her right front paw off the dusty ground as she sat heavily on her haunches to assess the damage her carelessness had caused.

She tentatively placed it down and a dull pain immediately flared up her whole leg. She had a feeling it was only a sprain but she didn't want to test that theory just yet so she lay back down and put her other paw over her face to block out the sun.

Her throat ached with thirst and it felt as dry and parched as the moor underneath her. This morning she had given her water to Cinderfrost, who was about two moons into pregnancy with Brackentail's kits. She glanced up at the cloudless sky above her and knew that Morningsong and Ravenstar had been wrong; there was no huge storm coming to WindClan, not even a raincloud to shed a few drops of water on them.

Sighing, her mind drifted to her battle training that she'd just had and she gravely wondered why the thoughts were so strong then and what had caused them to be so aggressive. At the Gathering, she knew it was unspeakable anger that had allowed her walls to be broken; but this time it didn't feel like it had been rage or fury that caused her head to scream.

_What's going on? _she thought desperately. _This has never happened before! _It felt as if she was missing something huge, some part of the puzzle that was right there but she couldn't grasp.

Shaking her head, Skypaw knew it was useless to keep laying there doing nothing instead of trying to figure out what was wrong. She felt her determination harden because she had a feeling that whatever had made her walls bend like that, it wasn't good. A sudden urge to get back to the WindClan camp pulsed through her and there was a huge _need_ to return back to her Clanmates.

Skypaw pushed herself to her paws, putting gentle pressure on her front one to be sure it could hold her weight. She felt a sharp, stinging pain but it soon faded away to a simple ache and she figured if she didn't push herself, she could make it back.

She started to pad painstakingly across the treeless moor, the sun baking the soft skin under her white and golden fur. The only sounds were her steady breaths and the soft, whispering wind that flowed around her. The silence should have been calming, except a sense of dread was building up inside of her, pushing her to go faster.

Ignoring the pain in her paw, she began to walk faster until she was once again racing across the open land, frantically needing to get back to her Clan and find out what was causing her Clanmates' thoughts to act like that.

As she steadily erased the distance between her and the camp, Skypaw slammed up her walls to block out the rising hum that buzzed in her mind. She flew past the training area and dashed to the top of the gorge where she slowed her pace to look down inside.

It was as if every single cat was gathered around the Tallstone with their necks craned up to watch Thornstar as the afternoon sun shone on his golden-brown pelt, accenting his lean frame. The thoughts were now going crazy in her head but Skypaw knew she had to join them and figure out what was wrong. She headed to the path that wound its way down and carefully padded along it, wincing when a few thoughts slammed against her protection.

When she finally stepped off the trail, she slunk over to where her Clanmates were all sitting, backs tense and ears alert, as they listened to their leader speak. As she got closer, Thornstar's words reached her ears.

"...we don't know where she is but we're going to look everywhere for her," he was stating, his anxious amber gaze scanning the faces of his warriors.

Skypaw's heart pounded in her chest and she nervously wondered if he was talking about her as she halted at the edge of the clustered cats. She spotted Rainpaw sitting next to Fallowpaw and Smokefur and her sister's green eyes were wide with shock as Thornstar's words washed over her.

_What's going on here? _she thought, noticing how a lot of her other Clanmates' reactions were similar to Rainpaw's. Rosefire, settled close to the bottom of the Tallstone with Sagepaw, had a nervous air about her while Brackentail and Cinderfrost exchanged nervous glances. Dewfeather, Kestrelwing, and Skypaw's father Ashstorm were murmuring in hushed voices about something she couldn't hear.

A brush of fur to her left startled Skypaw and er head whipped around to see that Talonpaw had joined her at the edge of the group. His golden-amber eyes were narrowed anxiously and his tail was flicking back and forth.

"What's going on?" she demanded, checking to make sure her walls were still up. Normally, she wouldn't start a conversation but now was not the time to stay silent. Something was very wrong and she needed to know what was happening.

"Featherheart's disappeared," the brown tabby tom answered quietly.

She felt a flicker of surprise at this but kept her face blank. "What do you mean disappeared? You mean she just left the camp?"

"Featherheart told Thornstar that she wanted to stretch her legs outside of camp and she protested when he tried to send a warrior with her. She said she could handle herself so he let her go, but she hasn't returned," Talonpaw told her, his gaze directed up at the WindClan leader.

"But-"

However, Skypaw was interrupted when Thornstar spoke again. "I'm going to send out four search groups and I want them to scour the whole territory," he announced. "We will search until nightfall, when it's too dark too see."

"What if you don't find her?" Rabbitflight called accusingly, his yellow eyes flashing even though his left was cloudy and blind. The scrawny Elder was hunched over and leaned heavily on Silverclaw, even though his voice was strong and loud. "Are you just going to stop searching because it'll be too dark?"

Thornstar dipped his head respectfully to the old tom. "Rabbitflight, I swear to StarClan that I will find Featherheart, wherever she is."

The gray and white tom opened his mouth to retort but instead a huge, hacking cough emitted, shaking his whole skinny frame. Rosefire dashed forward and wrapped her tail around his thin shoulders as she gently urged him to the Medicine Cat den. "Come on, Rabbitflight, you need to sleep. This worry and stress is only making that cough of yours worse."

"I'll sleep when someone finds my sister!" the Elder snarled, stubbornly pushing her away.

Skypaw gasped quietly when one ferocious thought knocked against her protection and she squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself tensely to wait as it passed. When she blinked them open again, she noticed Talonpaw looking at her in concern and her pelt heated up in embarrassment.

"Are you okay?" he murmured to her as Thornstar started calling the names of cats in the search parties. She gave a terse nod in his general direction and focused on her leader's words.

"I will lead the first patrol and I will take Dawnbreeze, Crowleaf, Fawnwillow, and Hollowstep. Brackentail, you'll lead another along with Dewfeather, Rainpaw, Falconclaw, and Smokefur. Ashstorm, you'll take Heathergaze, Fallowpaw, Hareflight, and Clovermist. And finally, Lilywhisper I want you to lead one with Sundapple, Silverclaw, and Ebonyheart." He waited until they all nodded in confirmation and continued.

"I will head towards the Willow tree; Brackentail, you go towards the ThunderClan border, Ashstorm head to the hills, and Lilywhisper check near the RiverClan border." He searched the faces of the chosen cats and growled, "Do not stop looking until you find her, am I clear? Featherheart is our beloved Clanmate and we will not leave her out there at night to fend for herself." He was answered with yowls of agreement.

The patrols immediately grouped together as Thornstar skidded down the Tallstone and gathered his cats with a wave of his tail. Skypaw backed into the shadows, her heart pounding anxiously as a feeling of distress wound its way through her. Her mind prayed that Featherheart was okay, but her instincts made her apprehensive and fearful for the old she-cat.

"Skypaw!" a voice called out and the apprentice turned to see Rainpaw racing up to her. Her sister skidded to a halt just before crashing into her, sending dust to waif up around them.

"Aren't you supposed to be on a patrol?" Skypaw questioned, double checking her that her walls were secure.

The silver and white she-cat nodded, her green eyes nervous. "I am, but I just needed to come over and say I'm sorry for acting like a jerk to you when we were hunting before."

Skypaw blinked in surprise. Their conversation about Talonpaw had been three days earlier, and she was confused as to why it took so long for Rainpaw to apologize. The anger she had felt toward her sister had long since evaporated and now, with Featherheart suddenly missing, their argument seemed small and insignificant.

"Look, I have to hurry," Rainpaw meowed, glancing over her shoulder to where Brackentail and his patrol were waiting for her. "I just wanted to apologize because I know I was being mean and cloud-brained and I hate when we fight, even though I know it was my fault." She turned her clear green eyes back to the white and golden she-cat. "So am I forgiven?"

Even though Skypaw knew her sister could be shallow and sometimes rude, Rainpaw was one of the few cats she really cared about and she didn't want to lose her over a stupid conversation. "Of course," she mewed softly. "Sisters always forgive each other."

"Great!" Rainpaw exclaimed, a purr rising in her throat. "Oh, I have to go, but we'll talk later, okay?" And with that she spun around and dashed away to join her patrol and they immediately headed for the path that led out of the gorge.

Skypaw felt glad that Rainpaw had admitted her mistake and that they could move on, but the sense of uneasiness inside of her wouldn't go away. She told herself that Featherheart was fine and that one of the patrols would find her, but she had a hard time believing it.

Now that there were fewer cats in the camp, the humming quieted down and she left out a weary sigh as the day caught up with her. Her Clanmates were scattered around the clearing in small clusters, each in their own conversation, so she headed in the direction of the nursery to relax in her nest. Fortunately, the den was still empty because Cinderfrost had refused to move into it until she absolutely had to, which Skypaw was incredibly thankful for.

She settled down against the moss and twigs, wishing she had fresh feathers to add to her makeshift nest so that she could get more comfortable. She had to keep shifting around because a stick would keep poking her in the side, irritating her. Finally, she curled up into a tight ball and tucked her nose under her paw as the rays of the sun setting sun cast an evening glow over her fur.

Skypaw thought her anxiety would keep her awake but as soon as she closed her eyes, she was quickly sucked into a deep, black sleep.

**0o0o**

_Skypaw jolted awake, her heart pounding in her chest, to find herself in a thick green forest with slim trees surrounding her. She lifted her head and blinked her yellow eyes as she gazed around, trying to figure out where she was. Her chest felt tight and she wondered if this was her own dream, or one of her Clanmates'._

_She rose carefully to her paws and thought that her shallow breathing was far too loud for the silence that coated the dark area she was in. Her eyes shifted nervously from one thing to the next and she figured that chances were she was in some other cat's dream. She just had to find out whose._

_Picking a random direction, Skypaw began to pad silently through the trees, knowing that her paws would not make a sound against the ground. When she raised her muzzle to look at the sky through the shaded foliage of the trees, she realized that it was sun set, just like it had been when she was awake. _

Where am I? _she thought._

_Just like in every other dream, there was no reason for her to keep a wall around her mind because she could never Hear other cats' thoughts when she was sleeping. It was only when she was awake that she had to keep herself protected._

_Skypaw wandered aimlessly through the forest, growing more impatient with each passing second. Where was the owner of this dream? Why hadn't she spotted the cat yet? The chances were very slim that this was her own dream because the only time she created her own was when she was visited by Morningsong and Ravenstar. And even that technically wasn't her own._

_Suddenly, Skypaw felt something stirring inside of her and she froze where she was. There was an inexplicable force tugging at her paws to go in the direction to her right and, hard as she tried to fight it, she began to follow the pull. This had never happened before and her mind was reeling with bewilderment even as the trees began to thin out around her._

_The compulsion was so strong that she finally gave in and hurried forward to figure out where it was leading her. Finally, she emerged from the thick cluster of trees and was shocked to find herself by the familiar stream that divided her from the moor._

_Why in StarClan was she on the ThunderClan border? _

_"I don't understand…" she whispered to the wind that had suddenly kicked up, swirling her golden belly fur playfully. A shiver of icy fear crawled down her spine and her senses were unexpectedly put on high alert. What was going on here?_

_Out of nowhere, a dark figure moved into her line of vision and she gasped in shock when she recognized Featherheart only a few tail-lengths away, taking a long drink from the stream. Her matted gray pelt was hard to hard to make out as dusk settled over the land, and the sky began to grow darker. _

_"Featherheart?" Skypaw meowed, very confused. Was she in Featherheart's dream? Had the old she-cat fallen asleep somewhere on WindClan territory and Skypaw had somehow been sucked into her thoughts? _

Watch, _a deep voice growled abruptly in her mind, causing the apprentice to jump. She bristled with terror and looked wildly around for the cat that had spoken to her, but all she saw was Featherheart. _

_She was about to speak again when movement caught her eye. She whipped her head around, eyes wide, as she struggled out make out the figure that was moving towards the Elder. However, it was as if a thick fog surrounded the cat because she couldn't make out its appearance and its scent was muddled with ThunderClan and WindClan._

_Realization struck her a sharp and painful as if she was struck by lightning and Skypaw felt her breath escape her._

_No. No, no, no, no, no!_

_"Featherheart, run!" she screamed to her Clanmate, but her voice was carried off in the wind that had picked up. She struggled desperately to move and protect the Elder but her paws were stuck to the ground and she could only watch in horror at the events that unfolded next._

_The old WindClan cat was too busy quenching her thirst to notice the attacker moving steadily closer to her in the shadows. Skypaw knew the exact moment when Featherheart suddenly realized she wasn't alone because her blue eyes grew wide with fear and she stopped lapping form the stream. _

_She turned slowly around and she gasped in surprise as she faced the unknown cat for the first time. "You?" she whispered, horrified beyond belief at who she saw. _

_Without replying, the fog-covered cat sprung at Featherheart with a viscous yowl and knocked the Elder into the stream. The she-cat let out a scream as she was slammed into the water and her attacker began to claw at her fur. She struggled to get out of the cat's grip and she lashed out wildly in a vain attempt to free herself. _

_But moons of not fighting and growing old had weakened the she-cat and her swipes steadily grew slower. The attacker raked its claws across her stomach and Featherheart cried out in pain as blood began to well from the deep cut. _

_Skypaw stood, transfixed with terror and abhorrence, as the cat took Featherheart's neck in its jaws and bit down hard. The gray she-cat wailed and her eyes wildly shifted everywhere until they suddenly landed on the horrified apprentice._

_Looking directly into Skypaw's yellow eyes as if she could see her, Featherheart's blue eyes widened with fear and she struggled to speak. "Save…me…." she whispered as blood gurgled from her open jaws. _

_The cat let out a disgusted grunt and unlatched its mouth from the she-cat, taking a step back to watch as her life began to ebb away. "There's no one to save you, you stupid cat," the murderer snarled, its voice deep muted from the fog. It sounded as if it was speaking underwater and Skypaw couldn't tell if they were male or female. _

_Once again, Featherheart's fierce eyes found Skypaw's and she locked gazes with the apprentice until she took her last shallow breath and lay still forever._

_"Featherheart!" Skypaw screamed, her voice tearing her throat as she trembled uncontrollably. "Featherheart!"_

_Before she could do anything more, a huge black wall slammed down upon her and she was lost in a dark abyss of sleep._

**0o0o**

"Skypaw!" a voice shouted and a sharp paw prodded her awake. "Skypaw, wake up!"

The white and golden she-cat gasped as teeth enclosed around her scruff and she was dragged from her nest. Her eyes flashed open and she struggled against her attacker, the scene of what she had just witnessed flashing in her mind. "Let go of me!" she screeched, as her head screamed with the thoughts of a thousand bees.

"Skypaw, relax!"

She froze at the sound of her sister's voice and looked up to find her sister staring at her with horrified and fearful green eyes. "Rainpaw?" she rasped, flinching as agony seared its way through her mind, along with a sudden wave of grief that was not entirely her own. "W-what-?"

"Skypaw, they found Featherheart," the gray and white she-cat whispered, sorrow filing her gaze.

"What?" she whispered, still not entirely sure where she was at.

"Skypaw," Rainpaw cried, her slender frame trembling uncontrollably. "Featherheart's dead."

**Dun. Dun. DUN! Read and review!**


	9. Chapter eight

**I'm so glad you all liked the last chapter so here's another one for you! (I told you I was getting my writing muse back) XD**

**Spottedfire07: thank you so much!**

**Ty7769: Well, I'm glad it satisfied your boredom! Lol**

**Lover or Hater: Ah, I can't stand drama between friends :\ But thanks anyway, and I'm glad you're feeling better :)**

**Stranger of the Night: Lol I deliberately kept the cat's identity hidden but don't worry about it. It'll all fall into place in due time….*ominous music* O.O**

**Wingbreeze: Thank. You. So. Much. XD And yeah, Rainpaw can be a bit of a jerk but everyone has their faults.**

**SwiftStar1: You can say that again O.O Lol**

**Dewleaf31: You'll just have to wait and see! *evil laughter***

**Born of True Destiny: Thanks for your review and I like your new pen name! Also, I'll try and check out your story when I have the chance, don't worry. :3**

**mevsyousvthem9: XD I'm glad Swiftbreeze has an admirer! ^-^ And here's the next chapter that you were hoping for!**

**Sunleaf13: Thank you so much! And it's kind of funny how your name is the name of one of the characters in Echoes of a Whisper XD**

**Honeyshine: Thank you so much, but I highly doubt I'm the best writer on Fanfiction. You should give yourself some credit :) I've just been writing for a long time, that's why my writing's good. Thank you so much for your review, and whish plushie would you like?**

**I cannot believe this story has almost 100 reviews already. Thank you all so, so, so much.**

**Now, let's get this show on the road!**

**Oh, and the 100****th**** reviewer gets another plushie. (I give so many of these out….)**

The Clan was in complete and utter chaos.

Featherheart's bloody and mangled body lay crumpled in the center of the clearing and her brother, Rabbitflight, was screaming his grief to the stars. Brackentail was speaking in harsh undertones to a stunned Thornstar while Fawnwillow, Clovermist, and Cinderfrost could only stare at the dead elder with mirrored looks of disbelief. The rest of the WindClan warriors were arguing in raised voices about immediately taking revenge and Skypaw could hardly bear the pain exploding in her head.

"Who did this?" Dawnbreeze screeched, pacing back and forth with her tabby tail lashing.

"We found her on the ThunderClan border!" Falconclaw snarled, unsheathed claws scratching at the dusty ground and creating lone marks in the sand.

"We need to attack and get revenge!" Crowtail spat. "We cannot let those fox-hearts get away with murder!"

"But why would they kill her?" Heathergaze protested from where she was crouched next to Rabbitflight. Her amber eyes were filled with sorrow. "Featherheart did nothing to any of them so what reason would they have to do something this cruel?"

"Murderers don't need a reason to kill!" Rainpaw snapped from beside Fallowpaw. Her eyes betrayed the horror she felt and her ears were flat against her skull.

Skypaw gritted her teeth against the pounding anger that tore at her walls and her muscles tensed as she struggled to keep her protection up. However, amid the grief and pain the others were feeling, fear and despair struck her heart as Featherheart's death replayed in her mind.

_But how had she witnessed it?_

"We need to teach them not to mess with us!" Sundapple shrieked, trembling against her mate Ashstorm.

"We should attack now!"

"They can't get away with this!"

"They deserve to suffer!"

"ENOUGH!"

The whole clearing froze as Thornstar's furious yowl washed over them. Skypaw's head snapped dup to see the golden/brown tom standing under the Tallstone, his eyes blazing with amber fire. His gaze swept over his warriors until they landed on the still body of Featherheart.

"Thornstar, we need to hurry before those ThunderClan scum think they can get away with this! We need to-" Birdswoop called out, breaking the silence.

"No," Thornstar stated flatly, cutting her off. "There will be no attack on ThunderClan." Yowls of protest rose from every cat and the tom let them shout out their shock and anger, the fire dimming slightly from his eyes.

"They killed our Clanmate!" Dawnbreeze wailed furiously. "How can you just stand by and do nothing?"

"Thornstar, think this through," Brackentail added, halting in his pacing to glare up at his leader. "We know Thunderclan did it-"

"We know no such thing, Brackentail," the old tom replied grimly, his voice a mere rasp.

"Then how else would you explain it?" Hareflight asked scathingly, his tone mocking. "Featherheart was found on the _ThunderClan _border, covered in _ThunderClan _scent and you're acting as if there is someone else at fault?"

Rage filled caterwauls pierced the air and every WindClan cat was put on edge. Skypaw took a deep breath and tried to focus on Thornstar's words so as to help distract herself from the insane humming in her mind. _Concentrate, Skypaw, _she told herself. _Focus, focus, focus!_ Her ivory claws were unsheathed as she dug them hard into the ground in an effort to keep herself from running straight out of the camp and away from everything. She needed to hear the rest of the meeting, even though every muscle screamed in protest at staying still.

"I said we will not attack and that is final!" Thornstar was yowling to be heard over the noise of the WindClan cats.

"Do you not even care?" Cinderfrost demanded, swiping her tail protectively over her growing belly. "How can we be sure any of us are safe if we don't do something?"

Thornstar's shoulder's sagged slightly at the silver and white she-cat's words and he suddenly appeared far older than he was. "Do not tell me that I don't care!" he hissed, his tail lashing back and forth. "She was my Clanmate just as much as she was yours but I refuse to start a war against ThunderClan when there is not enough evidence to prove that they are the ones who murdered her."

Cinderfrost opened her mouth to retort but Dewfeather touched her tail gently to the queen's shoulder and she snapped her jaws closed.

_What's happening? _Skypaw thought, blinking furiously to clear her vision as blurred around the edges. _StarClan what have you done?_ Featherheart's wails of agony echoed in her ears but there was something far louder than either that and the buzzing in her mind: the soft, whispering rasp of the Elder's last breath before she finally made her way to StarClan.

"Why are we arguing when we have a Clan to battle?" Rainpaw asked, eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. Her dappled pelt turned silver in the soft moonlight that bathed the WindClan cats and her eyes held green fury. Skypaw watched as her sister pointed her muzzle towards Thornstar and directed her next words to him. "Are you too scared to teach Lionstar not to mess with us? Is that it?"

"Rainpaw!" Ashstorm scolded, his black and gray fur also shimmering like his daughter's. "You do not talk to your leader that way!"

Rainpaw held her father's gaze for a heartbeat before she dipped her head and muttered, "Sorry Thornstar."

However, the brown and golden tom merely flicked an ear dismissively at the she-cat's comment and turned to where Rosefire was sitting ridged on the ground near the stone. "Rosefire," he meowed, his voice ragged and weary, "Why did StarClan allow this?"

Skypaw had never once before seen the Medicine Cat's composure waver but right then the she-cat looked broken and utterly lost. _She doesn't understand, either, _Skypaw realized. Her heart started pounding in her chest and she let out a short burst of air to keep herself steady as the thoughts continued to drive their way into her skull. In a way, it was almost worse than at the Gathering. At least when the thoughts had overtaken her, she had been able to stop them; but now all she could do was grit her teeth, force more walls up, and pray to whoever was listening that no one would notice how much she was struggling to keep everything locked inside.

Consumed in her own raging battle, Skypaw nearly missed Rosefire's quivering reply. "StarClan did not do this, Thornstar. Our ancestors guide the paws of our Clanmates; they do not murder them. You know that as well as I do."

"Then why did they take her?"

Skypaw startled as Rabbitflight's thin voice hurled the question at the Medicine Cat. For a moment, she struggled through the wave of nausea in her stomach and the screaming in her head to finally get a clear view of the Elder.

His gray and white tabby fur hung limply off of his bony frame and the hunched shape of his back caused his spine to jut out as he crouched next to his dead sister. His yellow eyes were wild with misery but they held a dark fire in them that Skypaw could only guess came from the need for revenge of the death of a littermate.

She quickly glanced at Rainpaw and felt a sudden-though maybe a bit selfish-rush of gratitude that her own sister was still here and not with StarClan.

Rosefire was staring at the old tom with a blank, troubled look in her eyes. "It was her time," she answered simply.

"Fox-dung to that!" Rabbitflight spat, spittle flying from his mouth. "Her place is here with me, not with StarClan!"

_Was, _Skypaw silently corrected, even though she would have never had the heart to correct him. She winced as her distraction allowed the thoughts to almost break down her walls and she once again focused on trying to protect herself. Her fur was bristling with the effort of holding them back and her claws were scourging the ground with deep claw marks. Instinct told her that if she didn't find a way out of this situation soon, things would start to get ugly real fast.

Her pelt itched uncomfortably with the sense of someone watching her and she scanned the clearing to find out who it was. With a jolt, she realized it was Sundapple who was staring at her from across the way with unblinking blue eyes.

The arguing had once again started up between all of her Clanmates and, though Thornstar was trying to get them all to be quiet, there was really nothing he could say that would calm them. Skypaw couldn't blame them. The urge to avenge Featherheart coursed through her veins as well; even more so since she had been the only one to witness the murder.

"Hey, Skypaw, are you okay?"

The white and golden she-cat lifted her gaze and realized it was Sagepaw who had asked the question. The molted brown and gray tom was looking at her with his narrow head cocked in concern and his amber eyes held deep sorrow.

She swallowed hard and replied, "I'm fine."

"You don't look like it," the Medicine Cat apprentice stated flatly. "What's wrong?"

What could she say? _Well, I can Hear other cats' thoughts, my mother hates me, I just witnessed Featherheart's death even though I wasn't anywhere near her, I have no idea who killed her and I feel terrible about it, and I'm trying really hard not to run away right now because my head is driving me insane. _Instead, she simply repeated, "I'm fine."

Sagepaw opened his mouth to say something but never had the chance because just then, Sundapple padded stiffly up to them with a hard look in her eyes. "Skypaw, I'd like to speak with you. _Now._"

To say Skypaw was surprised would be the understatement of the season. Not only had her mother refused to go on patrol, much less speak to her, ever since she had been an apprentice, but now Sundapple was talking to her about _needing talk with her? _Shock made the words slip out before she could consider them. "Um…okay."

Sagepaw, looking indignant and ruffled at being interrupted, shot a glare at Sundapple before striding away back to the rest of the cats whose arguments were now more heated and intense. Rabbitflight had begun to whimper again as he shoved his muzzle deep into Featherheart's cold fur and now even Heathergaze had left his side to join in on the controversy.

Skypaw flinched again when the yelling reached her ears. Along with that, the buzzing inside of her head all but drowned out Sundapple's next statement, which the warrior had to repeat before Skypaw fully heard it.

"Follow me."

Skypaw didn't even protest as she trudged after her mother. She needed to quickly get away from all the noise her Clanmates' thoughts were causing and-if she let herself really dwell on it-there was a small, tiny hope inside her that maybe Sundapple would finally want her as her daughter again.

As they padded in silence away from the raised voices of the other cats, Skypaw felt a burning sensation run from her front paws to her tail tip. Bewildered, she snapped up her head and glanced around the clearing to see what was happening. Nothing seemed different from a few heartbeats ago and she was about to dismiss the feeling entirely before she caught sight of her sister staring at her from beside Fallowpaw.

Rainpaw's pretty features were expressionless but her green eyes were curious as she followed their movement up the steep path. She locked gazes with Skypaw and for some reason a tiny shiver ran down the white she-cat's spine even though Rainpaw looked nothing except simply questioning.

Shaking her head, Skypaw shoved the strange feeling aside and turned her focus back on following Sundapple out of the gorge. Her mother didn't speak as she led her daughter away from the camp and slowly, the thoughts banging against Skypaw's walls began to dull.

The humming gradually grew fainter as they walked farther away from camp and soon it was only a soft buzzing in the back of her mind. Skypaw breathed out a heavy sigh of relief and the noise caught Sundapple's attention. The warrior glanced back at her over her shoulder and her blue eyes were narrowed before she turned away again.

Suddenly, her mother came to an abrupt halt and Skypaw nearly collided into the she-cat's rump. Sundapple spun around and demanded, "What's going on?"

Skypaw blinked, confused. "W-what?" she stammered, shocked by the unexpected question.

Sundapple bared her teeth. "I don't have time for your games, Skypaw," she hissed. "I know you know something about Featherheart's death."

Skypaw's heart began to pound harder. "What do you mean?"

The dappled she-cat scanned the area around them, but of course they were the only two there. The moonlight shone off of her fur and made her dark blue eyes seem even darker. "You know something, Skypaw. I can see it in your eyes. Just admit it. Do you know who killed Featherheart?"

"No!" The protest burst out of her with more force than she had intended and she winced at the way her voice had raised an octave.

Sundapple looked, if possible, even more disbelieving at that. Her eyes blazed with anger but when she spoke again, her voice quivered slightly and Skypaw knew her mother was scared, just like everyone else. "Skypaw, if you know anything-_anything_- about what happened to Featherheart, you better tell me now. Keeping secrets is as good as lying."

Injustice burned through Skypaw from her nose to her yellow tail-tip and she couldn't help but snap, "Yeah, I guess you would know all about secrets, huh?" Sarcasm dripped from her voice like maple from a leaf and she immediately wanted to take it back.

The warrior's eyes widened with shock and the rage in them intensified. Sundapple leaned forward until she was barely a whisker length from Skypaw's muzzle. "Listen to me, you ungrateful cat. I have good reasons for keeping your secret from the rest of the Clan. Don't act like you're all innocent either, Skypaw. I don't see you willingly running up to Thornstar and spilling the truth to him."

Hurt pierced her heart and her ears swept back against her skull as humiliation spread across her pelt. _She's so selfish!_ Skypaw silently screamed to the stars that glittered above them. _All she cares about is her reputation and Rainpaw. She'll never even try to understand me!_

"And furthermore," Sundapple continued, oblivious to her daughter's feelings, "this is the death of our Clanmate we're talking about. Now is not the time to keep valuable information to yourself when you could help us get revenge on whoever did this!" Ivory claws gleamed in the moonlight as the she-cat unsheathed them to gorge dark lines into the ground in frustration.

The fact that Sundapple thought she would deliberately watch her Clanmates suffer just for the satisfaction of keeping a secret, crushed every tiny sense of hope Skypaw had left. She slammed up another wall around her mind and around her heart as familiar rejection tore at the stupid possibility that her mother truly cared about her. Sundapple had made it very clear that she wanted nothing to do with the young apprentice, and Skypaw knew she shouldn't have set her hopes so high.

But, no matter how many cold, dismissive remarks she endured from her mother, Skypaw still grasped onto that tiny chance that everything would be all right.

"Are you listening to me?" Sundapple screeched, jolting Skypaw from her thoughts.

"Of course I'm listening to you," the apprentice murmured quietly, her muscles tense.

"Then answer me!"

Skypaw narrowed her eyes at the she-cat standing before her and she realized that Sundapple wasn't even looking at her. The dappled warrior's blue gaze was fixed on the distant moor where the gentle slopes of the hills were crested in moonlight. "Look at me," she whispered, her voice unexpectedly cold and steely.

"What?" Sundapple demanded, swinging her head around so that her eyes were focused on the younger cat. "I'm looking at you right now, cloud-brain."

"No you're not!" The wail burst forth from the white she-cat before she could stop to think. However once the wall broke, it was like a flowing river of words that she had no control over. "Ever since you've learned of my curse you've pushed me aside and made Rainpaw your favorite. You think I'm some sort of freak or something! Why can't you understand that I need you too?"

Sundapple stared at her, expressionless, and the only sign of emotion was in her twitching tail-tip. Skypaw knew she should stop, knew she was treading on thin ice, but the pain rushed out of her with a fury she'd never felt before.

"Every single day I have to watch what I say, what I do, while all you have to worry about is your reputation! Does that sound fair to you, _mother_? Why is it so hard for you to see that this hurts me more than it hurts you? You never look at me. I mean-I mean you look at me but you don't _see_ me, you don't see who I really am. Does the sight of me disgust you? Is that it? Am I not worthy enough to be your daughter just because I'm cursed with this…this…whatever this is?"

Skypaw took a trembling step forward and the storm or raging emotions in her threatened to take over as she looked Sundapple straight in the eye. "Why can't you love me just the way I am?" she said this last part softly, with desperation etched deep into every word. "Please, Sundapple. Just look at me. I mean really, really look at me."

Silence settled heavily over the two she-cats and the tension was so thick that it coated them like the thick moss that draped from the willow tree. Blue eyes locked with yellow as they stared at each other, waiting for the other to break the silence.

Finally, Sundapple let out a sigh so weary that it seemed to come from someplace deep inside of her, somewhere unattainable. She glanced at Skypaw and for just a moment, the young apprentice thought she'd seen something flash in her mother's eyes; something that might have been regret. But it was gone so fast she didn't know if she'd even saw it all.

"I'll ask you one more time, Skypaw," Sundapple hissed quietly. "Do you know anything about Featherheart's death?"

_Why does she want to know so badly?_ Skypaw wondered. A thought struck her so unexpectedly but she immediately shoved it away. No. Even Sundapple wouldn't be capable of that. Right?

"Well? Do you?"

She took a deep breath and looked straight at her mother. Then, she lied straight through her teeth. "No," she mewed simply, haltingly.

An unreadable emotion flared behind those blue eyes, but Skypaw couldn't put a name to it. "Very well then," Sundapple replied flatly. "Do not tell anyone we had this conversation, understand?"

As if she had anyone to tell that wouldn't think she was mad.

Then, with a terse nod that ended all hopes for anything else, the warrior spun around and stalked back in the direction of the WindClan camp. Soon, Sundapple's golden and white dappled pelt blended into the darkness that the weak light of the moon couldn't penetrate.

Skypaw exhaled sharply, not realizing she had been holding her breath. Her heart thumped in her chest and it seemed too loud for the silence that had descended. The humming in her mind had all but disappeared. Of course, it was never truly _gone_, but that was as close as it was going to get.

Now that Sundapple had left, Skypaw was now at the mercy of her own thoughts without a wall to hold them back.

Why had she lied? What had made her hold back the knowledge of Featherheart's killer? Her mother was hardly going to go straight to Thornstar and tell him that Skypaw had seen the elder's murder without actually being there. So if being exposed wasn't at stake, then _what had made her lie?_

As soon as the question appeared, Skypaw knew the answer. It was not the fact that the secret of her curse was in danger of being disclosed, or even that Sundapple would think her more of a freak. No the thing that had halted her in confessing the horrible scene she'd witnessed was the thought a little voice in her head had whispered right before she'd made the decision to lie:

The murderer could've been anybody.

The fact shook Skypaw to her very core and a sudden trickle of icy fear slid down her spin. The evidence was there, in Featherheart's death-she hadn't been able to make out the features of the cat, its scent, its voice, or even its _gender_, for StarClan's sake. It was glaringly obvious that whoever it had been, its purpose had been to kill; and it had succeeded.

As much as she prayed it wasn't true, something inside of her screamed at her that who it was that killed Featherheart, they would strike again without hesitation. And she had absolutely no idea who it could be.

And as of right then, her vision cleared and she saw the truth with sudden clarity. Because until she found out the murderer-and she would; she would not let Featherheart's death be without vengeance-the only one she truly knew was herself.

The only one Skypaw could trust was herself. And no one else.

**Ugh, this took me FOREVER to write :\ so sorry for the long wait but that's what we blame school for. XD Review, please, your opinion is always welcome.**

**Well…most of the time. :) Lol, just kidding :3**


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